Feeling it
by cornixad
Summary: Alec's lifelong friend finally moves to Alec's hometown and wants to introduce Alec to his new friend. Magnus Bane is stunned to find out his new protege already knows someone in the area, and apparently knows how to throw a party.
1. Home

**A/N: Ok guys, there's been a lot of updating going on. I'm trying to get all the exposition needed to really set up everything I want to happen in the story without taking too long to get where we are going. I own nothing but the original character and situations.**

 **Please remember, any feedback is always welcome! Thanks and hope you enjoy**

A warm breeze lifted the autumn leaves into the night sky. As they danced under the stars, almost in time to the thrum of the bass coming from the cozy, blue two story home, a tall man watched them float away into the darkness. His green eyes shinning in the moonlight as he leaned against a newly constructed, brick fire pit and flicked the ashes from a cigarette.

He took a deep and luxurious puff of toxic smoke, before putting his cigarette out on the bottom of his shoe, tossing the butt, and running his hand through his shaggy black hair. He fixed his gaze on the clean siding of the his new and inviting abode. He listened to the harsh rattle coming from the windows as the bass from the party brewing inside the suburban home had them shaking and pulsing with complaint. He thought the sound seemed a stark contrast to the peaceful location of the home, but parties had a way of shaking things up. His eyes flickered a cool grey as he sighed and adjusted his loudly patterned orange and red brocade button up shirt before straitening himself up from the fire pit he had been leaning against.

"And so it begins." He sighed before plastering on his best smile and he confidently strode towards his house. He only prayed his party would be tolerable.

Alexander Harmon (Xander to his friends for the sake of clarity) had been living in his lovely, if somewhat lonely, home for only two weeks, and it had been far too long since he had last had people filling one of his charming houses to maximum occupancy. At least, that's what he had told himself while he was planning to host his own housewarming party. Now that his home had been overrun by numerous hormonal nit-wits, he was starting to remember why he had avoided parties for so long. He didn't even know half the people that had showed up, and while his hospitality did not allow him to turn them away, he was ready to just tell them to leave and go back to bed. Though, he did have friends coming over, and he was going to do his best to try and have fun, for their sake.

Xander checked his reflection in the sliding glass door, and couldn't help but smile at the devil starring back at him. His shaggy black hair was as wild as always, lapping at the sides of his face and rising of it's own accord to a point at the top of his head. His orange and red shirt a splash of color against his pitch colored jeans. He always tried to dress to impress, and he couldn't help but grin at himself and note the slight change of his eyes shifting from green to blue as he looked himself over. Then he opened the door to stride back into the noise and chaos that his living room had become over the past hour. The room had walls painted a warm red, a couch of the same color but a darker shade, and a few side tables and chairs of various styles spread across the spacious floor plan of the room. There were one of kind artworks all around the walls, both his own and those of some friends, and of course scented candles around the room to set the mood for the night. Though at this point, none of that was visible through the pulsing mass of bodies swaying to the beats that were still threatening to take out his windows.

'Who were all of these people?' He thought, 'and how did they all know to come? I only invited people from the office, and Alec, but Alec wouldn't have brought all of these people.'

Xander had known Alexander Lightwood for more than eighteen years, and the had been close as brothers for that whole time. They had met at a summer camp when they were both still afraid of girls and cooties and formed a fast friendship when Xander had saved Alec from a terrifying 'spider attack' only to discover they had the same name. Since then, they had been nearly inseparable, even if they did live in different time zones. Well, they _had_ lived in different time zones, until Xander had gotten a job offer from one of his favorite Game companies, BA games, and now here Xander was in the same city as his best friend.

As Xander made a path to his left through the crowd trying to get to the kitchen for some much needed alcohol, but he got caught up the stampede of people clambering towards the dining room sitting to the right to dance in the empty space as the songs shifted from smooth with a deep base to the sounds of outright warfare. As the kitchen was in the opposite direction from the dining room, Xander fought to squeeze himself out of the herd, only to fall against the hallway wall and spill into the entryway, nervously combing his hand through his hair and still tripping over his own feet. As he tried to steady himself for another mad charge to the kitchen he was startled by his front door flying open to reveal a golden haired man-child hurtling into the entry way.

"XAND-MAN!" The golden boy crowed.

"Jace!" Xander felt a warm smile spread across he face as he recognized his old friend. Jace was Alec's adopted brother, and while Xander often thought the golden-god persona Jace exuded was over the top, he knew the golden boy had a golden heart as well.

"So you just couldn't stay away, I'm really starting to wonder when you're going to propose to my brother and make an honest man out of him." Jace said as he pulled Xander into a giant hug.

"Haha Jace, your a comedy riot." Xander chided, though he warmly returned the hug, thankful to have someone he knew finally at his party.

As Xander was backing away he happened to notice a streak of bright red hair huddled in the door way hiding behind Jace as though he were a human-shield.

"And who is this?" Xander asked, blinking in shock and trying to put on his best charm.

"This is Clary, she's my girlfriend." Jace stated simply as a dopey grin took over his entire face. The girl was small and lean, with a pale complexion and covered in paint, and Xander thought she looked somewhat out of place next to Jace and all of his extroverted narcism. Sliding her arm around Jace's waist and moving in beside him she smiled sweetly, extending her hand to Xander.

"Hi." she said somewhat meekly, but still full of warmth.

"Hello, Clary. It's nice to meet you, but are you feeling alright, dear?" Xander asked through his best cheshire grin while leaning to kiss her hand, waiting for her to step into the trap. The girl looked confused but replied.

"Um, yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Because this giant man-baby just called you his girlfriend and you're not trying to clobber him into a pulp. Something must be wrong for a lady as gorgeous and refined as yourself to think that's acceptable." Xander grinned as Clary just started to giggle.

"Hey, Xand, you already stole my brother, leave my girlfriend out of this. Or maybe I should tell Alec about that time I caught you in his room when you were ten."

"Why, what happened?" Clary asked, curious.

"You wouldn't dare, corn-top!" Xander hissed his eyes quickly flashing grey and making Clary jump, unsure she had seen correctly she began staring at Xander's green eyes.

"Hey, don't go getting emotional now, I didn't make you take that shirt, I only caught you!" Jace jeered triumphantly. This time Xander's eyes had flashed a stone cold grey and they weren't changing back.

"Your eyes." Clary mentioned, somewhat concerned she may be losing her mind.

"It happens." Jace shrugged while Xander continued to glare. "His eyes change with his emotions, so they change, _a lot_. The grey is anger, but they're just gonna stay that way, because _he can't do anything about it_." Jace teased in a sing song voice.

"Oh, I'm sure I could find a deep pit somewhere to throw you in, that seems like something." Xander growled to Jace before turning his attention back to Clary and she watched his eyes shift back to green just as quickly as they had changed before.

"See," Xander addressed her sweetly with all the charm from before, "A giant, stinking, loud-mouthed, man-baby with shiny hair. I've just met you dear, but I think you should be able do better than my not-brother here." Xander said curtly.

"Hey that's a bit harsh." Jace said, his face falling a bit.

"And telling Alec I stole his shirt so I could take him home with me when I was ten isn't" Xander quipped. Jace was still crestfallen and Xander sighed and regrouped himself. "I'm sorry Jace, it's been a rough night and I'm a little… _on edge_. I'm glad to see you, as always, even if you are a self-righteous man-child." Xander stuck out his tongue to punctuate his last words.

"It's ok man, you are practically my brother after all, and if you would just put a ring on it, it would be legal." Jace replied, back to his normally confident self.

Clary looked as though her head was spinning from the exchange.

"I'm sorry, honey." Xander said addressing her again. "Jace does have a good heart, but he's the annoying brother I wish I'd never had." Xander smiled again and Clary felt some of her tension ease. "Jace and I just seem to bond by fighting."

"Well, come on in." Xander motioned them in with his arms in large, animated motions. "I'm having a bit of trouble getting into the kitchen as it is, but since you brought the blonde-battering-ram, we should be able to get you something to drink." He smiled over to Jace who swelled at what he took as a compliment.

"Alright! I can knock some heads in for you." Jace beamed.

"Where's your sister? and Alec, of course?" Xander asked.

"Izzy is making Alec pick up her new boyfriend, Clary's best friend Simon, so they should be here shortly." Jace said offhandedly as his attention had started to drift to the hand he had stroking Clary's hair.

"Oh, ok, well, I think I'll go wait out front then, I can't wait to see Alec again." Xander started motioning the two towards the crowd. "Go ahead and go in, the kitchen has everything you should need and it's just to the right and through the archway on the left. If you can make it through the crowd in one piece."

"Alright man, see you in a bit." Jace said as he started to drag Clary by his side. How he could tell where he was going with his nose buried in her neck, Xander had no idea.

Xander brushed away some imaginary dirt from his shirt and then proceeded out his front door and down the walk to sit in the large lawn chair sitting haphazardly in his front yard. He had just smoked in the back yard, why not christen the front yard as well? Fumbling with his lighter he found his cigarette and wrenched one from the pack, shoved it in his lips, and began puffing away white plumes of sweet poison before he had even heard the click of the lighter.

'Well tonight is off to a smashing start' He thought as he took another deep drag off of his cigarette. 'Not even 8:30 PM and I've already smoked half a pack. Maybe, I'm just not the parting kind anymore.'

Before Xander could possibly more mature identity any longer, he was interrupted by a sleep and sexy, silver convertible pulling up into the drive way with music blaring to rival the music coming from inside the house. Looking over as the music in the car died, Xander could see the two passengers climbing out and walking his way. It was Magnus Bane and Camille Bel-court. They were two of the costume designers from his office, and while Xander still wasn't sure how he felt about Camille, he was thrilled to see Magnus. The man had a bubbly personality, no sense of shame, and an infectious enthusiasm. He also happened to be Xander's self-proclaimed mentor about anything and everything BA Games. Xander could use all of that right now.

"Magnus!" Xander waved at the approaching figure.

"Xander! Hi!" Magnus grinned and waved back and started to walk a bit faster to close the distance between them.

Xander couldn't help but gawk as Magnus approached, the man was wearing royal blue dress shoes, black skinny jeans that seemed to glow with a blue tint, a bright purple button up (that could have been louder than the multiple colors of Xander's shirt), and a blue jacket that Xander could have sworn was made of sequins. It was a nice color combination with his honey colored skin and dark hair. Magnus was also wearing blue eye shadow with purple highlights, a sharp ring of eyeliner, and, of course, glitter (all done by Magnus himself, while looking flawless, none-the-less). Xander couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head,

'That man would find a way to shine in a cave.' He thought.

"You look like a a star threw up on you and then exploded from the sight." Xander chuckled.

"Well, I never!" Magnus scoffed, looking very (fake) hurt.

"Oh, you know I meant it as a compliment." Xander laughed and hugged his friend. "Hi Camille, glad you could make it." He said over Magnus's shoulder.

"I'm sure you are." Camille smiled without humor and the eyes of a predator, and Xander couldn't help but feel like a snake had just slithered around him.

"You look stunning." Xander commented, and she did. Camille was wearing a simple blood-red dress that hugged all of her curves and was almost sheer, but her pale skin and blonde hair were the highlights of the outfit, standing in stark contrast to the brilliant red. She had the six inch stiletto heels to match and the slit up the left leg of the dress drew all the right attention.

"Leave it to the fashion department to always be the best dressed." Xander beamed at his two guests.

"Thank you, sir." Magnus drawled while taking a very deep dramatic bow.

"Well duh." Camille said making an air-head-esque roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, that was kind of obvious, huh?" Xander asked scratching the back of his head.

'That's right,' Xander thought, 'Cool and charming one minute, and a bashful wallflower the next.'

"I'm really glad you're here, Magnus, I know no one at this party, and I'm starting to… kind of… feel like a stranger in my own house." Xander was looking at his feet and trying to kick up a piece of grass, but it was unmoved by his attempts.

"Well, have no fear, Magnus is here." Magnus chuckled. "I told you at lunch I would take you under my wing and show you the in's and out's of the office, the in's and out's of a party aren't that much different."

Magnus gestured grandly as though he were showing Xander the house for the first time. Xander grinned like a little kid who had just found their favorite person and started to take the arm Magnus was offering to guide him into the house when a loud horn caught the attention of the three of them.

Turning around at the commotion, Xander saw a black car pulling carefully in front of the house and off to park on the side of the road, it's horn blaring with the intensity of an ambulance en route.

"What on Earth…?" Magnus was looking at the car like it was a praying mantis wearing an elegant night gown.

Just then the passenger door of the car flew open and a devastatingly beautiful leg slid out with practiced grace, followed by another. Until next to the car stood a voluptuous, hour glass of a woman, long black hair flowing down her back in free falling curls. The blood-red fabric of a familiar dress seemed painted on the gorgeous frame of Isabel Lightwood, who in an instant, dropped her man-eater persona and transformed into a young girl on Christmas before Xander's eyes.

"Xander!" She squealed waving her arms above her head. Xander could swear he heard a low growl coming from behind him.

"Izzy!" Xander called, and he started running towards her to meet her halfway across the lawn to pick her up and spin her around in a long overdue hug as they both giggled.

"It's so good to see you." Izzy sighed as Xander sat her back on the ground and she squeezed him once more for emphasis.

"It's great to see you too Iz,, was that you laying on the horn? Was Alec diving? Where _is_ Alec?" Xander was practically bouncing.

"Oh, 'it's so good to see you Iz, where's your bother'? I see, you didn't even miss me did you Xander?" Izzy pouted.

"Izzy," Xander pleaded, "Of course I did, and I didn't miss how you avoiding answering about the horn."

"Yes I was honking the horn, I was excited to see you, I haven't seen you in years." Izzy huffed.

"Izzy, you just saw me yesterday at the Mall, I haven't seen Alec in years."

Izzy huffed again, though she was grinning when she said, "Fine, I guess I understand. You're forgiven, for now. He's right behind you." Izzy sighed dramatically as she turned away from him.

As Xander spun around, he was gripped by strong, pale arms and hoisted off the ground with his arms pinned to his sides before he could even get a look at the black haired, blue-eyed man who was now spinning him around in circles like he had just done to Izzy. All he could see were smudges of black hair and the world spinning out of view past them.

"Alec!" Xander screamed as he giggled like a kid and tried to flail impotently.

Alec gave a hearty set of belly laughs as he sat Xander back down before pulling Xander in for a bear hug that had Xander's rib aching under the strain.

"Xander! You're here, like actually here!" Alec laughed as he backed away to look at his friend.

"Well yeah, here is kind of where we are." Xander pointed out, and Alec blushed.

"You know what I mean." Alec laughed and looked down at his shoes. Xander had known the man for over eighteen years, and he still got shy.

"Of course, I know what you meant, Al." Xander laughed. "I'm happy to see you, too."

"Uh-uh-uhm." came from behind them and Xander realized he'd forgotten about Magnus and Camille.

"Oh!" Xander jumped, grabbed Alec by the wrist and pulled him over to his new friends waiting by his door. "I'm sorry, guys, I'm a terrible host." Xander said, blushing himself this time.

"Alec Lightwood, Isabelle Lightwood, this is Magnus Bane and Camille Bel-court." Xander said as he held out a hand to each in turn. "They work with me at my new job. As for the Lightwoods, they are some of my oldest friends, and now I just happen to live in the same zip code they do." Xander smiled with pride at what he thought was his rather smooth recovery, only to be deflated when he saw that Camille and Izzy were staring at each other as though they were two cats meeting in a dark alley and Alec and Magnus apparently hypnotized by each other.

"Uh, guys?" Xander was confused.

"Well that's such a nice outfit you have there, _Izzy_." Camile said the name as though it was distasteful.

"It's Isabel, _Cammy."_ Izzy spat back. "Only my family get's to call me Izzy."

"Uh guys." Xander was afraid a war was about to break out around him.

"Hello… Alec, is that short for something?" Magnus purred as he held his hand out for Alec.

"Uh, yeah, i-it's, uh, it's, um… short. Short for Alexander." Alec stumbled as he blushed profusely unsure whether he wanted to look at Magnus or the ground. He looked as though he didn't know wether to shake Magnus's hand or kiss it, either, and was in the middle of trying some odd dance in a failing attempt to do both simultaneously.

"So you have the same name as Xander, but the opposite nick-name?" Magnus grinned widely. "That's adorable."

"Y-yeah?" Alec blushed.

"Heh, uh, guys?" Xander wasn't sure which fire to address first. The two women who needed hosed off before the claws really came out, or the two men who looked as though they were about to set the lawn ablaze.

"Well, at least some of Xander's friends have taste. Even if it is stolen." Camile said in a silken voice while eyeing Izzy's dress.

"Stolen?" Izzy looked like she may explode.

"Uh-uhm. Hi, I'm Simon." The voice came from the pale hand that was now jutting out in between Izzy and Alec. Xander had to do a double take to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

"Oh, Simon." Izzy cried as she pulled on the arm and pulled a man up beside her. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to forget about you." Izzy pleaded as she stroked the man's face. Xander, now looking at the back of the man that had been attached to the mysterious arm, was taking note that for the slender figure, the man had a nice backside.

"This is my boyfriend Simon Lewis." Izzy beamed, turning Simon to face Xander. He wasn't a bad looking man, at all; he had a strong jaw, curly brown hair, and clearly had definition to his muscles, though not enough for you to confuse him with someone who enjoyed sports. The glasses and the gamer t-shirt seemed to further add to his persona as a very, sexy-nerd.

"It's very nice to meet you Simon." Xander said, his eyes flashing golden for a moment while taking the hand Simon offered to shake. Izzy elbowed Xander in the ribs and Xander groaned clutching his side more dramatically than nessecary.

"Hey, get your own." Izzy scowled.

"It's nice to meet you, too" Simon said as though nothing had happened. "Izzy's told me a lot about you."

"Don't believe a word of it Simon, that girl you have there lies like a dog!" Xander scoffed and everyone laughed, except Camille, who looked as though she was plotting where to dispose of Izzy's dead body, and Izzy who wrapped a protective arm around Simon.

"Oh Izzy, I'm not after your man, besides I'm pretty sure he wouldn't play my game anyway." Xander was back to smooth and winking at Izzy with a devious grin, and it seemed enough for Izzy to smile again.

"Well," Xander sighed as he clapped his hands together, "Why don't we all head inside to start enjoying the party?" Xander asked, motioning towards the house.

Everyone nodded their agreement and started to file in. Before they could get through the door, Xander grabbed Simon by the sleeve and pulled him back slightly.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have excellent timing?" Xander asked with a charming grin.

"Uh, no?" Simon looked unsure and Izzy was still holding onto his arm protectively and eyeing Xander up and down.

"Dude, if you hadn't gotten in there when you did, we would probably be spraying blood off my walkway right now. Good job!" Xander laughed, clapping the man on the shoulder before smiling at Izzy innocently and leading them inside.

'Maybe tonight won't be that bad.' Xander thought as he closed the door behind him.


	2. Party Fouls

**A/N: Just like chapter 1 this chapter has been heavily updated as well, I'm trying to move the story along some more now, but I still have a few things to get out of the way first.**

 **Please let me know any feedback you may have, as it is all welcomed and appreciated.**

The party had been going on for three hours now, and Xander was already starting to regret thinking that anything could have gone smoothly at one of his parties. Jace and Clary had some sort of fight that resulted in Jace getting slapped by Clary before she stormed out of the room yelling something about Jace being a "man-baby," and left him looking like a sad, lost puppy. Izzy had a Blue Motorcycle spilled all over her dress and had to excuse herself with Simon in tow. Xander was sure that Izzy hadn't noticed Camille's foot trip the girl carrying the Blue Motorcycle, otherwise they would surely have had to call an ambulance before anyone had left. Xander had spent only one hour mingling with the guests and trying to be a good host. Afterwards returning to the living room only to find Alec plastered to the wall, blushing furiously and refusing to look at Xander. When Xander asked if he was okay, Alec only mentioned something about his upset stomach. On top of that, Xander was sure one of his windows had cracked from the bass of the speakers.

Xander had finally had enough of leaning against the wall of his living room with Alec as they joked lightly and tried to avoid the throng of people bumping into each other. He also just wanted some time to catch up with his friend. Having made up his mind, he grabbed Alec's wrist and quickly dragged Alec out of the living room and down the hall to his bed room, but not without noticing the death glare that Magnus was giving him as they went. Was he mad that he was bailing on the party?

'Ah, well he'll understand.' Xander thought.

When they reached the bedroom, Xander flung Alec inside and quickly shut the door to lean against it. Xander's bedroom was large, and mostly empty as he was still unpacking, but the light blue walls and moonlight streaming in from the window in the far wall had a calming effect. Boxes were stacked against the walls, his antique oak dresser was partially pushed against the far wall next to the window, and clothes were scattered all over the deep walnut, wood floors; giving the space it's own personal style of chaos and completely the look of "Messy in outer-space, the Xander Harmon story." The king sized bed was the only thing that looked to be lived in, only being half made with it's red sheets and black comforter body the centerpiece of the room.

"Gods help me!" Xander sighed. Alec chuckled at that and made his way to sit on the edge of Xander's bed.

"Not what you expected?" Alec asked.

"I don't think anyone expects the _nightmare_ that has just played out in my new home. I'm going to have to cleanse the place after this disaster just to get rid of the bad karma." Xander laughed as he made his way to sit next to Alec on the bed.

"Hi." Alec said with an innocent smile as Xander sat down.

"Hi." Xander smiled back. With that he took his friend into another bear hug before sighing and letting him lose.

"It's so good to see you again, and now that we can actually talk, how have you been?" Xander asked.

"I've been good. I mean, you know, as good as can be expected. I-I, well I k-kind of need to tell you something." Alec was apparently very interested the loose string on Xander's comforter, slowly twirling it betweens his finger and thumb.

"Oh really?" Xander chuckled. "Ok, let's hear it."

"I d-did it." Alec mumbled.

"Did it? Did what? Alec, _you dog_ , did you finally get you V-card punched?" Xander teased. The man was twenty-three and still hadn't gotten laid. Xander had secretly admired Alec for that, but he would never admit it for fear of making his friend blush out of existence.

"N-no," Alec chuckled faintly. "I d-did it, I f-finally told them." Alec still hadn't looked up and a blush was starting to fill his cheeks.

"No!" Xander gasped. "You finally told your family?" With Alec's small nod Xander started beaming. "Alec! That's great, how did it go?"

"It was g-good. Well, it was as good as could be expected. Mom cried, Izzy squealed, Dad yelled, but after a while they seemed to be ok with it. Not great, but, ok. Jace just shrugged it off like I told him it was gonna rain later." Alec laughed.

"Of course Jace did." Xander smiled, putting his hand on Alec's shoulder.

"Yeah, well, how did it go when you told your family?" Alec asked, finally looking up.

"Well, my family wasn't the best, there was a lot of crying, a lot of screaming, a lot of arguing, and mostly all from me, _of course_." Xander joked getting another laugh from Alec. "But now, we just don't really talk about it. It's there, and we all know it, but no one ever even gets close to mentioning that I'm gay." Alec looked stricken.

"I'm sorry, I would have thought it would have been better, I mean your Mom is so cool." Alec said.

"Well, yeah, and she's still cool, and she's a lot better than my Dad, but it's still just weird. Like, I think I broke my family. So, better to just come out here and follow my dreams, and be with my best friend, of course."

"Of course." Alec agreed.

"So tell me, since you so artfully dodged my question the first time. Are you still a virgin?" Xander grinned as Alec went a shade of red he was sure couldn't be healthy.

"Jesus, Xander!" Alec chided while swatting Xander's shoulder.

"Ok, so that's a yes. What about dates? Any hot guys I should know about?" Xander continued.

"N-no." Alec said flatly, but started to blush even more, if it was possible. Xander was picking up on something very interesting from his best friend.

"Oh really? Because I'm pretty sure I watched you undress Magnus Bane with your eyes right there on my front lawn." Xander laughed.

Alec's jaw dropped and he looked like all the blood had drained from his far in an instant. Xander wasn't sure if he'd been too crass or if Alec had finally broken from embarrassment.

"It wasn't that obvious was it? I mean, I didn't , it's just because you know me right? That's how you can tell? NO! You used your gift!" Alec gasped. Xander just laughed.

"Alec, I didn't need a gift, you were practically drooling."

"Oh!" Alec groaned. "Do you think anyone noticed? He wouldn't have noticed, right? Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick." Alec flailed as he spoke and then folded in on himself with his arms wrapped around his middle.

"Calm down, Alec. No, I don't think anyone else noticed. Camille and Izzy were too busy spitting venom at each other, and Magnus was too busy undressing you with his glittery eyes." Xander chuckled, but he knew there was something different about the way his friend was feeling about Magnus. Alec clearly had more than butterflies in his stomach.

"No, I really think I'm gonna be sick." Alec said and started to turn a bit green.

"Oh shit, what happened?" Xander asked rubbing Alec's back in an attempt to comfort him.

"Izzy was determined that she would feed us before we got here so we wouldn't eat all of your food. She said that would be rude."

"Oh dear gods, you poor thing. It's rude to eat my food, but giving her brother food poisoning isn't." Xander's nose crinkled just at the thought of Izzy's cooking. That girl had a plethora of gifts and talents, but cooking was not among them. Xander had told her as much once before. Only once. "My bathroom is right through there." Xander said pointing to the door on the opposite end of the wall from where they came in. "Toothbrushes under the sink, mouthwash, and I'm pretty sure there is some stomach medicine in there too, help yourself to whatever you need."  
"I don't know if stomach meds are gonna help here, X. This may be a trip to the ER." Alec cried as the pain picked up. Just as Alec was starting to lift himself from the bed a knock at Xander's bedroom door caught both of their attentions.

"Xander, it's Magnus, may I ask, what are you doing hiding from your party? You're supposed to be enjoying yourself." Magnus cooed at the door.

"Oh shit, no not him." Alec whimpered. "X he can't see me like this. Please don't let him know! Oh god, I'm gonna…" The noises coming from Alec's stomach stopped him cold as he went completely green and he started towards the bathroom as quickly as he could go.

Alec had started calling Xander, X, the day the met, and it had always struck a chord with Xander. Xander could still remember exactly why.

 _"No!" Alec was screaming and scooting himself backwards across the room of his cabin on his rear end, not caring about the splinters he was getting from the rough wood floor. The door to the cabin flew open and in Xander flew, pretending he was a Power Ranger, he clumsily rolled into the room, only to jump up with his hands on his hips._

 _"What's the problem here?" Xander asked in his best cool-grown-up voice._

 _Alec was shaking and pointing across the room at the wall. At first Xander didn't see anything, but he heard Alec whisper "S-s-s-spider!"_

 _Xander walked over to the wall, and saw a small wolf spider skittering in circles under the window seal. "Oh! I see!" Xander said. "It's ok, just find me a cup." Xander said as he pulled his back pack off his shoulder and started digging for a piece of paper. Alec pointed Xander to a pile of dixie cups setting on the empty bookstand near the spider._

 _"Ok, so all we have to do," Xander started, "Is put the cup over the spider, and then slide the cup over the paper." Xander said as he preformed the actions. "Then we take it to the door, and let it go outside." After letting the spider go Xander placed his tools down by the door and made a show of dusting off his hands._

 _"T-thanks." Alec said meekly._

 _"No problem." Xander beamed. "Anytime you need help with a spider attack just let me know, my Mom hates them too."_

 _Alec smiled. "I'm Alexander, what's your name?" He asked. Xander's jaw dropped in comic shock as he stared at Alec._

 _"My name's Alexander, too." Xander said in disbelief._

 _"R-really?" Alec asked as though he thought Xander were picking on him._

 _"Yeah, does everyone call you Alex, or …?" Xander asked._

 _"No, I go by Alec."_

 _"Hmm." Xander thought. "Well, everyone calls me Alex, but that's a little too close to Alec, it could get confusing," Xander said in a matter-of-fact tone. "So why don't you just call me Xander?" Xander asked beaming at his ingenious idea._

 _"Yeah!" Alec laughed. "That sounds like a good super hero name, and you wouldn't be known as X, the mighty spider slayer!" Alec cheered._

 _Xander laughed. "I like it, I think it suits me. I like you too, Alec. Wanna be best friends?"_

 _"You wanna be friends w-with me?" Alec asked._

 _"A'course, we have the same name, I think it's like a law or somthin'." Xander chuckled._

Xander never regretted that choice, and ever since then, whenever Alec called Xander X, it pulled on his heartstrings and drew some need to protect Alec. He heard Alec moan piteously as his head bumped into his new porcelain companion and another knock came from his bedroom door.

"Hello?" Magnus called.

"Don't worry, I've got this." Xander said to himself, cringing as he heard Alec starting to heave again.

With that, Xander rose from his bed and quickly got to his bedroom door, opened it, and insinuated himself firmly between Magnus and the door way in a desperate attempt to put space between Magnus and the sounds of his indisposed and, admittedly, overly-shy and self-conscious friend.

"Hey Magnus, are you enjoying the party?" Xander asked as casually as he could, but he was sure he sounded a bit tense. Why couldn't he chose when he was slick and when he was clumsy. He swore it was some cosmic joke, and made a mental note to scold the fates later.

"Sweetie, a party is always enjoyable, unless you just don't know how to enjoy yourself." Magnus purred. "Which apparently you don't since you're over here hiding yourself away from all of your adoring guests."

"Yeah." Xander scoffed, taking a step towards Magnus and away from the door. "I don't even know who half of these people are. I feel kind of, out of place."

"Oh, well I think Camille may have had something to do with that." Magnus stated while waving the thought away.

"What do you mean?" Xander asked.

"Well," Magnus cringed, "When I told her we were coming to your party, she said 'No way in hell am I going to a party that isn't the talk of the town.' I thought she just wasn't going to come, that is, until she called me two hours ago and said that your party might not be a complete disaster." Magnus finished as cheerfully as he could.

"Oh." Xander was very interested in his new hardwood floors at the moment.

"Oh, now don't take it like that." Magnus put a hand on his shoulder trying to brighten the mood. "I'm sorry, Xander, Camille can be a bit _tricky_ to deal with some times, but it really is shaping up to be one hell of a party, you should come and enjoy it."

"It's ok." Xander sighed. "The people I wanted to be here came, and I guess at least everyone will have a good story to tell. I'm glad you came, too." Xander tried to smile, but it faltered and he was distracted by his floors again.

"Ah, I'm glad I came too, sweets." Magnus purred.

"I don't think I would mind getting something else to drink, if you come with me." Xander smiled, some of his charm showing through.

"See that's the spirit, now let's get that blue-eyed, beautiful friend of your's and get back to enjoying ourselves." As Magnus finished he was reaching for the knob to Xander's bedroom, and Xander jumped in front of him, nearly taking Magnus's hand off in the process.

"NO!" Xander yelped.

"What, is he indecent in there? Xander you didn't tell me he was your lover." Magnus was smiling as he said it, but Xander saw the hurt in his eyes. Why would Magnus be hurt by that, hadn't he only just met Alec?

"No! He's not! We aren't! I mean, no we're just friends." Xander said, his face falling a bit as he didn't want to lie to Magnus, but he couldn't just tell him Alec was puking his guts out. Alec would be mortified and probably not speak to Xander for at least a week. He had begged X for help, and Xander didn't care if he thought the man was being silly, his friend had asked him for help and that was what he would get.

"So you don't find blue-eyes attractive, then?" Magnus was going somewhere with this, Xander knew exactly where, but he'd found that beating people to their own punch line was often considered rude, even if you were trying to spare them an awkward moment, so instead he tried to stick with the question he was asked.

"Of course he's attractive, Magnus. The man has black hair and blue eyes, which is my _favorite_ combination."  
"Mine as well." Magnus agreed. Xander nodded his acknowledgement.

"And he looks like he just stepped out of a catalogue that specializes in top-of-the-line gorgeous men."

"That he does, indeed." Magnus grinned.

"But no, we are just friends." Xander harrumphed.

"Oh, come now Xander. You're telling me you've know that gorgeous, god-of-a-man for years and you've never…?" Magnus seemed to be getting more upset with each word he spoke, and he seemed to be pressing himself into the feeling, almost hopefully.

"Well, it's not, no. I didn't say that. I mean I kissed him, once, but that was when we were both like twelve. It was like kissing my brother." Xander felt really uncomfortable trying to avoid the situation. He didn't like this line of questioning, or how much it was upsetting Magnus. He wanted to check on Alec and make sure that the trip to the hospital was not really necessary, but Magnus clearly wanted to see Alec again, and Xander couldn't think of how to avoid his questions without lying, giving Magnus the wrong idea, or letting his friend down.

At that moment, Alec's pain-filled moans started to echo through Xander's sparsely decorated room and Xander began to curse himself for his constant procrastination. Magnus had clearly heard Alec, and obviously gotten the very wrong idea.

"Xander…" Magnus started and Xander looked up to see Magnus was barley holding onto hope at this point. The pain in his eyes was clear, and it looked like Magnus had just caught his boyfriend cheating on him. Magnus hadn't seen spoken to Alec but once, he couldn't be getting that upset over him already, could he? Though Xander knew he was, he just didn't know why.

"Listen, your my friend, right?" Magnus started again and Xander nodded his agreement unable to find his voice just then. "If you like Alec… like that, or there's something going on there, I'll drop it if that's what you want. But I really think I may like him, and if he needs something… I know it's none of my business, but I really would like to know what's going on."

Xander sighed. "Magus, we are friends, and no I don't like Alec like that, but I can't… ."

"So, did I scare him off, does he not want to talk to me?" Magnus asked.

"Gods, no! Magnus, look…" Xander couldn't find the words to protect his old friend without hurting his new friend, and Magnus truly looked like he would be deeply hurt if Xander said the wrong thing. Xander wiped his face and started again.

"We're friends right?" Xander decided to flip the script and saw Magnus was a bit taken aback by his question, but nodded his agreement, _his_ voice now failing him. "As your friend, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, not even keep something from you that I think would hurt you. However, this _is_ something that I can't tell you about without hurting Alec, and I don't think either of us wants that." Xander felt he had found his way out. Magnus looked shocked at the thought and then quickly shook his head, still too stunned to speak. "Ok, good." Xander heaved a sigh of relief.

"So, then if he's not in there naked, and he's not avoiding me, then… what worth all the fuss?" Magnus asked.

"I'm sorry Magnus, I can't say, but I promise that it's not what you think, and frankly, _I_ don't think there would be anything wrong with telling you, except Alec asked me not to."

Magnus looked defeated. "But…" Xander threw the man a life-line and could see Mangus's ear perk up, much like a cat's, when he continued. "I can say something else, if you would like?" Xander said coyly.

"Oh? And what would this something else be?" Magnus grinned at the intrigue seeming to lighten a bit.

"Well, you didn't hear it from me, but a certain 'blue-eyed beauty' found a certain glittery god at the party tonight very appealing." And with that Magnus was beaming a smile brighter than any Xander had seen so far.

"Oh did he now?" Magnus asked.

"He seemed very impressed." Xander smiled. "But Magnus, Alec isn't… well he's… Damn, how to say this?"

"He isn't gay?" Magnus was deflating before Xander's eyes.

"No, he's not…. very experienced." Xander decided that was the most tactful approach.

"Well there's no shame in a lack of experience, Xander."

"No, I mean… really not…" Xander trailed off.

"Oh." Magnus seemed to get his point.

"Yeah, so … see I like you Magnus, and I can tell that you really like Alec, and… well… I'm not sure how it happened just from you two saying hello, but he seems to like you too. He just hasn't really…. he's shy and …."

"Well, it seems he's not the only one." Magnus chuckled and Xander noticed his own face had started to go red and betray his anxieties.

'Damn the fates.' Xander thought.

"Xander there's still no shame in that, it's no big deal."  
"No Magnus, you're missing my point." Xander raked a hand through his hair and decided to start again, this time meeting Magnus's eyes. "He's my best friend, he like my brother, and he's still so… innocent in so many ways. I'm not trying to stop anything here or scare you off, but I need to say it."  
"Say what?" Magnus looked lost.

"Do you think Camille is scary?" Xander asked looking at the floor again and blushing a bit more.

"Xander, I've known Camille for a long time now, and let me tell you, scary in reference to that woman wins the understatement of the year award." Magnus chuckled.

"Good… because if you hurt him," Xander brought his eyes back to Magnus's and Magnus could see they had a very cold, grey color where they had once been a beautiful green, and Magnus had to swallow the lump in his throat at seeing the eerie change. "You will think that Camille is as sweet and innocent as a bunny when I get through with you." Xander finished definitely.

Almost as if on cue, the door to Xander's bedroom opened, and Xander fell backwards into his room hitting his head on the floor, hard.

Damn. The. Fates.

Alec sagged against the door frame looking as though the world had taken everything from him and he had no will to go on.

"Alexander, are you ok?" Magnus gasped.

"No, I'm not." Alec answered before turning to look at his friend who was still lying in the floor. "X can I get you to take me home, please. I think Izzy took my car, and I need to get to my bed." Alec whined.

"Actually," Xander said as he gracefully hoped back up to his feet. "I was just talking to Magnus about that." Alec had a look of panic on his face at the mention of Magnus and his sickness. "I was telling him that you weren't feeling very well and I was just about to ask if he would take you home. Since he did point out that I was being a rude host and all, I don't think I should leave, aside from that I may very well have a concussion now, and I don't think I should get behind the wheel." Xander rubbed the back of his head for emphasis.

"I could do that." Magnus offered quickly.

"N-n-NO! I-I mean, y-you d-don't h-have to. I-it's ok-k really." Alec stumbled.

"Now don't be silly, Alexander, you are _clearly_ not feeling well, and taking you home is no problem, I'd be glad to do it." Magnus replied grinning mischievously.

"N-no, b-but I, Xander could, I-I mean you don't h-have to." Alec was trying to come up with an excuse and failing miserably.

"Alec, it's ok." Xander said putting his hand on his friends shoulder and watched him relax at the touch. "Magnus is a nice guy, I'm sure he will take great care of you, and if it's a big deal I can just owe him a favor. You need to get home, though, and I can't leave, so don't worry about it."

"Exactly, now come on Alexander, I'll get you home and make sure you are completely taken care of." Magnus said wrapping Alec's arm over his shoulder to help support him through the house.

"Oh and Magnus?" Xander called giving Magnus a look that first said remember what I told you about hurting him, then melted into the look much like an approving father watching his child leave for their first date. "I'm worried about Alec, would you mind staying with him until he falls asleep, just to make sure he's ok and he doesn't need to go to the hospital instead?"

Magnus grinned from ear to ear and said "Sure, no problem." While Alec shot Xander a death glare that sent a shiver up Xander's spine.

'If looks could kill, I'd be in some serious shit right now.' Xander thought.

He followed the two to Magnus's car and made sure they got in the car and out of his drive without any problems. As he watched them pull away, he sighed to himself. Then he clapped his hands and rubbed his palms together as he turned around to face his new home.

"Now to get all of these people the hell out of my house." Xander said as he strode up his walkway.


	3. The Fates

**A/N: I hope I didn't take to long to really get into the Malec part of the story, I'm trying to give them a good bit of connection here, but still sticking with the story so far.**

 **As always any feedback is welcomed and valued! Hope you enjoy!**

'I'm going to kill him. I'm going to string him up by his intestines and slowly choke the life out of him with my bare hands.' Alec thought as his blue eyes turned cold staring out the window of the sleek little silver convertible at the trees whipping past.

'How could he do that? First he sends me home with the one person who should not be _anywhere_ near me while I'm puking my guts out, and then he tells him not to leave my side until I'm asleep? Does he want to screw everything up?' Alec was on the verge of hysterics.

'Maybe I can just pretend to pass out.' Alec continued. 'Yeah, we get there, and he helps me in, and then I just start snoring, and he's gone. That way if I need to continue to suffer, at least I can do it alone.' Alec was starting to feel the full weight of his turbulent emotions crashing into the torrent of nausea in his stomach. The whole evening had turned into a nightmare, just as Xander had said, but all Alec wanted to do now was sleep and hope that he woke up tomorrow to see it was all just a bad dream.

"So where are we going, blue-eyes?" Magnus purred and patted Alec's thigh to get his attention. Alec felt his cheeks heat at the nick-name and Magnus's unexpected touch. He couldn't help but smile a little at how it made him feel to have Magnus so close. They'd only just met and Alec felt like he didn't ever want them to be parted.

"I-it's not far. J-just keep going straight and I'll tell you when you turn." Alec said not wanting to look at Magnus and meet his mesmerizing stare.

"Ok, that works for me, I'm easy." Magnus grinned at him and Alec felt his blush grow deeper. "Oh, no, I didn't mean easy, I'm easy-going, easy to get along with. Not easy, I mean, I guess I could be considered easy, but …why am I still talking?" Magnus huffed.

"It's ok, I got what you meant." Alec relaxed a bit after seeing Magnus was nervous as well and let himself steal a glance at Magnus. He was beautiful. His smooth honey skin, dark hair, and emerald-gold eyes almost like cat eyes. Alec was stunned. He thought he could look at Magnus all day, and still not see enough. Magnus caught his stare and gave a warm smile in return which sent Alec's stomach into flips.

"Oh God! Pull over!" Alec cried.

"What, what is it?" Magnus asked, quickly pulling the car to a stop.

Before the car had stopped moving Alec had his door open and was rolling out of the car as quickly as he could, only to fall face first into the dirt as he start emptying his stomach right there beside the road.

'Damn the fates.' Alec thought. 'Damn Xander.'

"Oh god, Alec!" Magnus shouted, quickly exiting the car and running around to Alec's side. Alec was still retching everything he had, coloring the side of the road with colors Alec didn't think could possibly be natural. Magnus knelt down beside him and began stroking his black hair and his back while Alec continued to heave.

After Alec had composed himself and seemed to have everything out of his system that he could get out, He sat up and leaned his back against the car, his face splattered with gravel and a thin layer of sweat. He shielded his eyes with his dirt-covered hand and let himself groan loudly. "I'm gonna kill him."

"Kill who?" Magnus inquired calmly, still rubbing Alec's back.

"Xander, that's who." Alec spat without removing his hand. "He was supposed to cover for me and get me out of there without yo-…anyone seeing me for this very reason. Some friend he is. I'm am so gonna kick his ass after this." Alec was running on fury alone, and he felt like even that was starting to die out. The exhaustion threatened to pull him under.

"Is that why Xander was guarding his bedroom door like a bulldog? Because you were… getting sick?"

"Yes, _and_ he was supposed to help me get away without you seeing me too." Alec complained, slurring his words just the slightest bit.

"Without _me_ seeing you?" Magnus asked, and Alec thought he sounded a bit hurt.

"Yes! I mean, come on. Who watches the pathetic stuttering guy heave his guts out at a party and then accepts their offer for a date when he finally works up the nerve to ask?" Alec paled to a dangerous degree when he realized what he'd said and to whom.

"Alexander… Hey." Magnus pulled Alec's hand from his face gently, bringing his emerald eyes down to Alec's. "You're sick, it's ok, there's no reason to feel bad about _being_ sick on top of feeling bad because you _are_ sick." Magnus grinned.

"No, but this is not the way to make a good first impression. I don't even know why you're here with me now. Most people would have seen this hot mess and just run away." Alec sighed looking down at his feet.

"Well, no, it's not the _best_ first impression." Magnus started." Though _technically_ , this isn't my first impression of you. That was watching you pick up all six foot of Xander like a rag doll and swing him around like a kid high on cotton candy at a fair." Magnus laughed and Alec laughed weakly in response. "Aside from that, I'm still here because I really do want to make sure you're ok."

"You do?" Alec asked tentatively.

Magnus laughed,"Yeah, I do."

"Listen Alec," Magnus sighed as he rolled on the balls of his feet and swung his hips to lean against the car and sit beside Alec, and Alec couldn't help but think Magnus was one graceful-motherfucker. "I'm not worried about you being sick and making a bad impression, I'm more worried that if I don't take care of you, you won't want to speak to _me_ again."

"N-no, I wouldn't…" Alec started.

"I know." Magnus interrupted grinning slightly. "You don't really strike me as the type of person who would hold that against me, but I think that's part of the reason as to why I worry."

"Huh?" Alec's eyes turned to Magnus completely lost by his reasoning.

"Well, think about it, would you really want to be around someone that got mad at you, because you got sick?" Magnus asked.

"Well no, not really, but I mean," Alec was starting to catch on, "I can kind of understand it." He finished in a mumble feeling a bit silly.

"I also don't think you would want to around someone who thought less of you just for being yourself, either."

"Well, no." Alec said.

"But, that's what the fear of liking someone is. Are they gonna like me, too ?" Magnus added. "And, Alexander?" Magnus purred to get Alec's full attention. "I really like you." Magnus grinned.

"I r-really l-like you t-too, Magnus." Alec was blushing furiously and couldn't decide where to look.

"It's because of that. We don't want to offend each other, but we also don't want to risk finding out that the other isn't who we think they are. We have only just met after all." Magnus said sagely.

"True." Alec said and he noticed he was starting to breathe easier.

"So why don't we try and experiment, just for tonight?" Magnus grinned at him wickedly.

"U-um, ok?" Alec asked tentatively, finally deciding to focus on the ground again, but stealing sporadic glances at Magnus's face.

"Why don't we try to just be ourselves, and give each other the benefit of the doubt, long enough to make sure you're ok and don't need a trip to the hospital. Sound like a plan?"

"Y-yeah, I think we could do that." Alec grinned feeling his face warm again.

"Great!" Magnus beamed and grabbed Alec's hand. Alec felt a shock run under his skin everywhere that Magnus was touching him. He knew his face was blushing again, but as he lost himself in Magnus's emerald gaze, he felt heat surge through his arm. It burned up to his shoulder and set a fire in his chest making his breath quicken and sending his stomach into flips again, but 'good flips' he thought. "Then lets get you home."

Magnus helped Alec inside the car and then took his place in the driver seat, buckling himself in.

"By the way, Alec?" Magnus asked.

"Yeah." Alec said.

"What happened to get you so sick?"

Alec felt himself feeling a bit green again. "Izzy made me spaghetti." Alec said, trying to keep himself from needing to exit the car again.

"That bad?" Manus was cringing in sympathy just from Alec's expressions.

"One time, Xander got knocked out cold by Izzy for telling her that her spaghetti was 'A crime against man, nature, and what ever dramatic-mess of a childhood she'd been through to ever think that crap was edible.'"

Magnus looked comically shocked. "He did not say that! To Izzy!"

"You say that like you know my sister?" Alec was intrigued.

"Oh, Izzy and I had words at the party, and I saw enough to say that either Xander had lost his damn mind, or Izzy's cooking is worth being knocked unconscious to avoid it."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure it's equal parts of both." Alec chuckled. There was a small silence, soon broken by Magnus's soft purr of a voice.

"Alec…?" Magnus asked his focus somewhere long outside of the car, someplace only Magnus could see. "In the spirit of being ourselves, I have to ask."

"What?" Alec asked innocently.

"Were you and Xander… ever…?"

"What?" Alec asked, not understanding. "Oh." Alec said as understanding dawned. "Oh! God, no!" Alec couldn't even think of Xander like that. "I mean Xander is my best friend, but more like a big brother. A crazy, big brother that I first and fore-most-often want to string up by his own intestines." Alec grumbled darkly.

"Ok," Magnus started chuckling as Alec looked away, his face very-much giving Magnus the impression of a toddler who wanted to watch the world burn. "So I take it that you don't for-see me having to step aside to let my new friend, Xander come sweep you off your feet?"

"Oh, now he's your friend?" Alec laughed. "I could swear that just two seconds before you got my answer you were thinking about where you could dump his body."

" _Yes_ , he's my friend… now that he's not the competition." Magnus giggled. "Plus anyone willing to say that to Izzy is worth keeping on your side."

"Yeah." Alec laughed. "He is a good friend to have."

"You know I'm his un-official-mentor at work, right." Magnus was looking rather proud of himself.

"No, I didn't know that, how did that happen?" Alec asked.

"I claimed him." Magnus said simply.

"You did what?" Alec couldn't see Magnus trying to lay claim on Xander without getting a fight.

"Well, he was sitting alone at work on his lunch break, looking around like a lost puppy with those sad, brown eyes and I had to take him under my wing." Magnus said as though it couldn't be helped.

"He had brown eyes?" Alec asked, concern slipping into his voice.

"Yes, I distinctly remember. They added to the lost puppy effect." Magnus nodded.

"Shit." Alec sighed.

"What?" Magnus asked.

"They're only brown when he feels like utter crap. Either he's in need of a doctor, or he's really in need of a friend." Alec felt bad remembering the last time he'd seen Xander with brown eyes.

"But his eyes are brown?" Magnus asked, then he remembered seeing Xander with those cold grey eyes.

"No." Alec heaved a heavy sigh.

"I haven't really known Xander that long, well not as long as you, so I'm not sure I actually saw what I think I saw, but it sounds like…"  
"Let me guess," Alec started somewhat amused getting the same question he'd heard about his friend a thousand times over. "You saw his eyes change color and you think you're losing your mind?"

"Yes! Does it happen a lot? What makes it happen?" Magnus couldn't believe it, he'd always been one to believe in magic, but this just seemed crazy.

"No idea." Alec shrugged. "It just happens whenever his mood shifts, which is a lot, and every color depends on his mood. Green is content, Blue is loving, Gold is excited, and so on."

"What about… grey?" Magnus was almost afraid of the answer.

"You didn't see them go grey, did you?" Alec looked concerned. Magnus could only nod meekly. "Jesus, Magnus what did you say?"

"Nothing! I didn't say anything at all. Why what does it mean?"

"Well, Xander's eyes go grey all the time when he's talking to Jace, I've never seen his eyes grey when he looks at me or Izzy, but I'm not really sure. It's never really a clear emotion, it's more a warning sign." Alec said and his eyes focused on some far away memory.

"A warning sign for what?" Magnus asked.

"Well, I only ever saw the grey once when it wasn't aimed at Jace, and I don't know what happened, but…" Alec sighed at the memory of that day.

"But what?"

"The kid that got the grey stare, Izzy's trademark name for it, well, things didn't go too well for him after that, it's just… it's never a good sign."

"Are you saying he cursed the kid or something?" Magnus laughed as though the whole idea were insane.

"No, not like that, I don't know, he just… I mean Xander is a great guy, and a loving friend, but he was kind of scary when that happened, cold even." Alec shivered at the memory. He didn't like to think of his friend like that, and it had only happened because the kid was picking on Alec and Jace, calling them names. Alec thought he heard Magnus gulp, but when he looked Magnus was wearing a perfectly placed grin, with maybe a small amount of fear in his emerald-gold eyes.


	4. Coming Clean

**A/N: Winter is coming! No, but really, we are getting closer to the good stuff now, and I promise to do my best to not keep you waiting for the Malec goodies.**

 **Feedback is great! Please share any you have as it is always welcomed and valued! Enjoy!**

As they reached Alec's apartment, Magnus angled his convertible up to the side walk as quickly and close to the door as he could, silently thanking himself for getting a car that could really maneuver when he needed it to. Alec was about to have another round of emptying his stomach, and Magnus wanted to get him inside before it was too late. He put the car in park and took the keys from Alec to get to the door and hold it open for him before Alec could get there.

"It's the small gold one." Alec said as he hefted himself out of the small car and started trudging toward his somber-looking apartment building as best he could while holding his stomach and doubling over in pain.

Magnus scrambled with the keys trying to open the unfamiliar lock and get the door opened so Alec could easily pass without having to try and wait on him. Congratulating himself on his success just as Alec made it it to his side, Magnus opened the door widely and put his free hand on the small of Alec's back to guide him through the door. Alec jumped at the contact, but relaxed quickly and Magnus tried to smile away any of the hurt that lingered in his eyes. As they were inching at a slow pace through the doorway the door man waved at Alec and did a double take. Magnus couldn't imagine what the security guard had to think about sweet, innocent Alec being half guided, half pushed into his apartment building by a man bathed in glitter, while he was doubled over in pain

.

"Mr. Lightwood, you're not looking too hot." The stout man said from behind a mustache Magnus thought had gone out of style when people had learned about antibiotics. As the guard half rose from his chair with a gesture as though he would help, Alec quickly waved him back down.

"Hey Bob, yeah, my friend here is helping me out." Alec said. "I think I may have eaten something that didn't agree with me."

"You think" Magnus scoffed under his breath, silently cursing Isabel for doing this to his sweet Alec, well intentioned or otherwise.

'Mine?' Magnus thought. 'He's not mine, I just met him, why I'm I already feeling so possessive. I don't even know if he likes me, I mean, he blushing is cute and all, but not an outright declaration of love.'

Alec tried to smile at Magnus's remark, but Magnus kept him moving and he could barely wave goodbye over his shoulder at Bob. Magnus had nothing against the pleasantries, but Alec needing to be lying down not exchanging niceties.

'Well, he's my responsibility for the night, I promised Xander. So, for now, I guess he is kind of mine.' Magnus rationalized.

As they got in the elevator, Alec started to sag, and Magnus quickly took Alec's arm and slung it over his shoulder while placing his arm around the boys waist to hold him up. He asked Alec which floor and quickly pressed the corresponding button. While they impatiently waited for the pre-historic doors to close Alec sighed and leaned into Magnus's support. Magnus couldn't help the way his heart fluttered at the closeness. Having Alec's head resting on his shoulder Magnus could feel the boy's breathing across his neck.

"At least with me being here, you don't have to lean on Bob like this is a stuffy elevator." Magnus grinned trying to keep Alec distracted while they made the slow ascent to the higher levels.

"Bob is a nice man." Alec defended, letting his head drop forward to hang limply looking at the floor.

"Yeah, but I'm hella sexy and covered in glitter, so… I win." Magnus beamed as his comic trap closed. Alec blushed right on cue, if not as furiously as he would have when at his best.

"You seem to be very competitive, Magnus Bane." Alex grinned while still holding his stomach and focusing on the floor. He seemed happy for the distraction.

"You seem to bring it out in me, Alexander Lightwood."

Magnus couldn't help but notice the heat coming from the boy's body. He could feel the hard, lean muscles of Alec's abdomen under the tight, thin, white fabric that barley covered Alec's torso and he couldn't stop the shiver that ran down his spine at the thought of being so near to this gorgeous man.

'If only Alec weren't half dead from food-poisoning, this would be a very different scene.' Magnus thought.

"I still feel bad about this." Alec sighed as the bell in the elevator alerted them they had arrived on their floor.

"And you still have no need, darling." Magnus purred as he stepped in time with Alec on their slow trek down the hall.

"But you're being so nice, and we only just met, and this is really expecting too much from you." Alec protested weakly, while also, remarkably, vehemently.

"Now Alexander, you heard me give _our_ friend my word, did you not?" Magnus playfully scolded, and Alec nodded. "Well, you wouldn't want to make me a liar now would you?" Alec shook his head still focusing on his feet as they walked. "Besides, having Xander owe me a favor will be well worth any effort on my part. And…"

Magnus stopped short as he fumbled with Alec's key's. He shifted Alec off his shoulder to lean against the wall next to his door so he could work the unfamiliar lock. As Magnus diverted his attention from Alec to the keys, Alec began to tip backwards, making Magnus jump and throw his arms around the boy to keep him from colliding with the fast-approaching floor. As Magnus straightened Alec up against himself they came close to almost head butting each other. Faced with those blue eyes so near his, Magnus lost his train of thought. He eyes fell on the soft, pink lips so close to his own slightly parted and looking unbelievably kissable. They were standing so close they were sharing breath, and Magnus gulped as he saw Alec's tongue flick across and wet his lower lip.

"And…?" Alec asked, bringing Magnus out of his thoughts.

"And…" Magnus chuckled, "Sick or not, I rather enjoy being with you." Alec started to blush and Magnus was once again helping him to stand and then walk inside the door.

Magnus faltered a bit when he got inside the door and turned on the light, wondering if they had gone into the wrong apartment. The living room was right off the entry and it was so clean and sparsely decorated that Magnus couldn't believe someone lived in it. The dark walnut hard wood floors shown as though someone had just moped before they walked in the room, and the floors were the majority of the room. There were a few bookshelves against a far wall, a small couch beside them, with an end table and a small coffee table, but the room seemed massive with the tiny amount of furniture that filled it. The bland eggshell white of the walls adding to the almost clinical feel of the frighteningly clean, tidy space. Just to the right there was a small kitchen space that was divided from the living room by a bar and the wall at the start of the hallway. Magnus noted that the kitchen seemed even more immaculate than the living room, though he didn't know how it was possible.

"Where is your bathroom?" Magnus asked, breaking from his thoughts to again focus on keeping Alec firmly in his grasp, lest the boy plummet to the pristine floor with no more grace than a sack of potatoes.

"Magnus I don't have to throw-up again, I can just go to bed." Alec said with half closed eye lids.

"Not until we get you all cleaned up." Magnus smiled. Alec's eyes flashed open as he gulped and blushed at the same time. "You are still covered in dirt and gravel, and… _well_ , we at least need to wash your hands and face, and get you some mouth wash." Magnus explained through his poorly-concealed chuckle at the boy's dazed reaction.

"Oh, it's fhat way." Alec slurred as he was barley standing up. With all Magnus had seen Alec upchuck on the side of the road, Magnus was surprised the beautiful boy was still this coherent.

He took Alec towards the end of the hall that went in between the spacious living room and the small kitchen. Supporting Alec when he walked, and carrying him when he stopped taking steps on his own, Magnus continued leading them to the bathroom where Alec had indicated at the end of the hall. Manus pushed the door open lightly and the fumbled on the inside wall to find the light switch while trying to support Alec's dead weight with his hip.

The bathroom was gorgeous, in Magnus's humble opinion. It seemed the only room that had any style to it whatsoever with it's royal blue tiled walls and white tiled floors. The shower was just to their right an extended from one wall to the other taking up the whole right side of the room and making an elegant addition to the colors with it's curtain covered in regal floral patterns of blacks, golds, and silvers. The toilet was directly in front of the door and the sink was just the the left of the toilet. A small cherry wood armoire leaned against the wall inside the door just to the left, making the room seem cozy and, oddly, warming the space while also being obviously functional as it was the only place in the room for storage. The room seemed to have been picked up from a much more stylish home and plopped down in Alec's apartment on loan.

Magnus closed the toilet lid and sat Alec down gently, nudging him slightly towards the sink so he could lean while Magnus gathered supplies. Instead of waking Alec to have him direct Magnus to the required objects, Magnus opted to go on instinct and let the boy rest as much as possible. Going to the cherry wood armoire, Magnus opened the cabinets at the top hoping for some antiseptic mouthwash and a wash rag. Successfully finding the mouthwash and the toothbrushes on the top shelf Magnus took them to the sink before returning and opening one of the drawers to locate a wash rag.

"Magnus?" Alec mumbled through his hands as he tried to hold himself up against the sink.

"Yes, Alec?" Magnus countered while keeping his attention on the search for the rag.

"I jus.. I want.. to… thank you." Alec heaved as though he was getting to tired to keep forming words.

"Your very welcome, Alexander." Magnus grinned as he pulled a rag triumphantly out of the very last drawer on the bottom. "Though, we do need to discuss what on Earth you were thinking when you laid out the distribution of items in that armoire." Magnus chided while bring the water in the sink to a pleasantly steaming temperature and began to wet the cloth.

"What's wrong with my armi-are…. armiware… arm…ar…..?" Alec scrunched and contorted his face while trying to wrap his mouth around french, then yawned as he conceded defeat to the foreign word.

Magnus chuckled lightly, "Nothing darling, it's just a bit confusing for someone who doesn't know it. Now," Magnus pressed as he lifted Alec to face him and handed him the mouthwash. "You go ahead and rinse out your mouth and I will do the rest. Then we can get you off to bed."

Alec took the cup of mouthwash without complaint, and dutifully swirled the liquid vigorously around before gargling and turning to spit, half missing the sink as he spit without opening his eyes. Magnus rose an eyebrow at the action, but chose not to comment as he watched Alec place his hands back on the edge of the sink and let his forehead flop down on top of them. He chuckled to himself as he lightly pulled the boys shoulder to press him against the back of the toilet and gain access to the his gorgeous face.

As Magnus started to wash away the dirt and grit from Alec's face he was once again confronted with an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness for the innocent boy almost completely asleep beneath him. Magnus had never felt this strongly towards anyone before, and to have become so attached to Alec in such a short time couldn't possibly be natural. Though Magnus couldn't argue the fact that he was starting to fall in love with the blue-eyed beauty.

'Love!?' Magnus thought laughingly. 'It can't be love, it hasn't even been twenty-four hours and you know almost nothing about him!'

As Magnus stepped back to look over and make sure that Alec was sufficiently clean, Alec let out a small sigh as a grin spread across his face.

"Magnus…" Alec hummed as he tried to reposition his head on the uncomfortable porcelain throne. Magnus felt himself blush and start grinning like a mad man at hearing his name cross Alec's lips in such contented manner.

'Ok, so I'm in love. I'm crazy, like absolutely, insane, but I am definitely in love. God, I'm so screwed.'

As Magnus lifted Alec's soiled shirt over the boy's head, he tried to think back to when he had exactly he had fallen madly in love with a perfect stranger. Magnus couldn't help but remember the only conversation he had gotten to share with Alec at the party, as it was the only time he had really spoken to him. How had he fallen so deeply for this boy from such a short exchange?

 _Magnus finished twirling the decorative drink stirrer Xander had next to his rather generous selection of alcohol and he couldn't resist but to give the little chunk of plastic a good shake over the sink to watch the glittery strands on the end dance and sparkle. Magnus grinned, then picked up his first of the two very strong drinks he had just mixed for himself and decided to explore the kitchen. Finding most of the orangish, cherry wood cabinets empty, Magnus went to the lustrous red door of the refrigerator, only to find it bare of anything other than drinks and a bag of Microwave Popcorn?_

 _'So Xander has yet to get food for his new place, and apparently needs someone to help him organize his kitchen,' Magnus thought,'Though that yellow on the walls really suits the red of the fridge, so there's still hope for this artist yet. And the bar is well stocked.' Magnus noted, again taking in the many various shapes and sizes of the bottles littering the bar that separated the kitchen from the living room with it's granite top, high archway, recessed lighting, and glass shelves . The flickering party lights shown in through the opening, casting multiple colors over the kitchen, that was lit mostly by scented candles, all of them a tasty mixture of Vanilla verbena and cloves._

 _Finding nothing in the kitchen that really gave Magnus the I-shouldn't-be-looking-at-this vibe and was therefore of little interest, Magnus went back to downing his drink in peace before chasing after Camille. She had taken off in a huff once they had made it to the hallway off the entryway, still pissed that Izzy had dared to have similar taste in fashion as her's. Magus knew he would need to find her soon, but he would need at least a few drinks in his system before he tried to put out that fire. Aside from that, this was the night of Magnus's new friend and protege's housewarming party and Magnus was intent on making the night a success for Xander._

 _As Magnus finished his first drink, a scuffle behind him made him spin around to see Alec flailing gracefully backwards into the kitchen._

 _'Well, maybe not gracefully.' Magnus appended to himself. 'but he still looked good flailing like that, and that's no easy feat.'_

 _Magnus, while not having been seen in the room yet, took a moment to fully appreciate the beauty in front of him. Alec's black hair was a handsome combination with his creamy, white skin. He wore a black, knit, pull-over v-neck hoodie with a white t-shirt underneath. His added blue jeans were worn and frayed in places, but still melded to the shape of the boys strong legs and rather pert posterior. Black sneakers topped off the look that Magnus heard loud and clear as it was a billboard saying "Don't look at me." However, Magnus couldn't help but look, and he really liked what he saw._

 _Magnus heard Alec mutter something under his breath that sounded like "No, you need to relax," but he couldn't be sure. Not until he asked, anyway._

 _"What was that, darling?" Magnus hummed to Alec, making the boy squeak as he spun around mid-jump._

 _"M-m-m-magnus. U-uh-hi, I mean, er h-h-hey." Alec stumbled and blushed, quickly looking at his feet and scratching the back of his neck nervously._

 _'This boy is absolutely adorable,' Magnus thought, seeing why Xander would be drawn to this kind and shy soul, shuffling in front of him._

 _"Hi." Magnus purred with a seductive smile . "What was that you were just saying, darling?"_

 _"J-j-just s-saying?" Alec cocked his head to the side as his head scrunched up in confusion, and Magnus thought no one have ever looked more like an adorably confused, cartoon fox._

 _"When you almost fell." Magnus grinned, gesturing towards the door while trying to look very nonchalant about the whole scene. He didn't want to scare the boy as he seemed very jumpy, but his curiosity piqued around this boy._

 _"O-oh, nothing, I was j-just." Alec hefted a deep seated sigh of remorse at finding no way to avoid the truth. "Izzy told me to come in here and get a drink because 'I needed to relax'." Alec sighed agin looking at his feet again._

 _"Well then you're in luck, I happen to be excellent at making drinks!" Magnus beamed. "What are you in the mood for?"_

 _"U-um, I don't know." Alec blushed. "You c-can …surprise me?"_

 _"Oh darling, I'm sure I would." Magnus grinned as Alec blushed and turned towards the bar._

 _'He looks like a green apple "type-of-guy".' Magnus thought as he finished the drink, shrugged, and turned half way to hand Alec his creation, before stopping quickly and turning back to grab one of the decorative drink stirrers and dropping it in the glass with a flourish._

 _"Here you are, my dear." Magnus said, grinning from ear to ear at the blushing smirk Alec wore in response._

 _"T-t-thank you, Magnus," and Magnus felt a flutter in his chest at hearing Alec say his name like that. His voice had been so soft, low, and warm setting Magnus's skin ablaze._

 _"So, you know Xander?" Magnus wanted a reason to continue talking to the beautiful boy with pale skin, black hair, and blue eyes, Magnus's favorite combination. The man looked like an angel, but all Magnus knew about him was a name, that he apparently knew Xander well, and worked out a-_ lot _to be able to pick Xander up like he was nothing. Since "Do you work out?" was far too much like a pickup line, Magnus decided to go with the "Do you know our host?" approach._

 _"Y-yeah, for a while n-now." Alec nodded taking a large sip from his drink and smiling widely. "T-this is good, t-thanks again."_

 _"I knew you were a green apple guy." Magnus chuckled and winked at Alec, who in turn blushed even more. Magnus felt something sell in his chest at the sight of Alec's smile but he couldn't be sure what, he just knew he wanted to talk to the boy with the blue eyes and red cheeks for the rest of his life._

 _"U-uh so you w-work with Xander?" Alec inquired, seeming to want to hear Magnus speak more than himself._

 _"Yes. I came to his rescue once ,at work, and now I'm hoping to rescue his party as well." Magnus leaned backwards against the bar resting his elbows behind him and wiggling his hips as though he were positive that he had the cure for the over-the-top-party somewhere on his person._

 _"R-rescue the party from what?" Alec again looked like an animated fox, and Magnus just wanted to wrap his arms around the man and pepper kisses all over his lost expression._

 _"From it's utter lack of my presence of course." Magnus said looking very much like the cat that got the cream at having successfully implemented his light-hearted joke. Alec barked a laugh at Magnus's answer and the went as red as a beet and decided to down the rest of his drink. Magnus couldn't help but chuckle at the sight._

 _"So would you like another drink?" Magnus asked as he stopped chuckling, the remnants of the laughter still rolling through his words._

 _"P-please, it was r-realy good." Alec said while stiffly holding his glass out to Magnus and dropping his head to his feet again._

 _As Magnus grasped at the glass Alec held for him his fingers brushed over Alec's, ever so slightly, but enough to send a spark hurtling throw his entire nervous system; tightenting his throat, and making his heart race like clydesdale on speed in the final lap of the race. Magnus looked up from their connected hands to see Alec's crystalline blue eyes trained on him now with some emotion Magnus couldn't place swirling just below the surface. Alec's lips were slightly parted, swaying against the force of the quick labored breaths passing by them. Magnus wanted nothing more than to grab Alec's hand and firmly pull them together so he could kiss those lips until the sun died. Trying to come to his sense of propriety, however small that sense might be, Magnus quickly took the glass and turned back to the bar to busy himself._

 _"So…" Magnus purred as he began mixing Alec another drink, and realizing he had a second drink still waiting on him. "You know that I work as a costume designer at BA games, don't you think it's fair for me to know what you do?"_

 _"Oh, um, well…" Alec trailed off for a bit. "I'm a p-photographer."_

 _"Really?" Magnus beamed thinking that seamed to suit the boy's personality._

 _'Oh like you would know.' Magnus chided himself._

 _"Do you like it?" Magnus asked, thinking to clarify if he was right._

 _"Y-yeah. I love being able to get just the_ right _shot. You know that_ one _moment in time that the light hits the surface of something so perfectly as to reveal it's inner nature to the world. Being able to capture that moment, to see that kind of beauty, being able to seek it out daily, and get paid for it. It's great." Alec beamed with pride and the happiness that his job gave him._

 _Magnus was holding Alec's now finished drink in offering to Alec with his mouth open in shock and awe. He wasn't sure if it was the way that Alec had only stuttered once during his explanation, watching Alec start to shine and come alive in front of him, or hearing the breath taking view this angel of a boy had about his job, but Magnus was struck by Alec. He couldn't even think what to say._

 _'I'm in love.' Magnus thought, and then he directly thought he had lost his mind thinking he was in love with someone he had just met. Until Alec looked at him again, clearly wondering why Magnus hadn't responded, and as Alec noticed Magnus's stunned face, started to blush with a vengeance._

 _'Who cares if I'm crazy, I can worry about that later, but that boy is incredible and I would be insane not to love him.' Magnus thought._

 _"W-what d-did I say?" Alec asked nervously._

 _"Everything." Was all Magnus could say in a breathless whisper, unconsciously stepping closer to Alec._

 _"-W-w-what?" Alec blushed, stepping back ever sol slightly and looking towards Magnus's lips._

 _"Alexander that was beautiful, the way that you feel about photography really shows when you talk about it, and if you have half the passion in your work that you did talking about it just now, then I have no doubt that it is… absolutely_ breathtaking _." Magnus gushed, each word full of conviction._

 _"N-no… i-it's nothing… not really… that special." Alec was blushing furiously and scratching the back of his neck while taking frequent sips from his drink._

 _"I'm sure that's not true." Magnus frowned as he grabbed Alec's hand and stepped closer to Alec feeling the shock wave of emotion and electricity surging through him at the now familiar touch. "I'm sure that, just like you, it's… gorgeous." Magnus whispered, stepping close enough to feel Alec's breath as it came in pants from the contact and close proximity. Magnus could feel a charge in the air about them as though they were magnets of an opposing charge, currently being held apart by everything they didn't know about each other. Though at any moment that distance could close enough so that the two would snap together, as they were meant to be._

 _Magnus raised his hand to Alec's face to brush his thumb across Alec's cheek and couldn't help the smile that split his face as Alec instinctively nuzzled into Magnus's hand. As he watched Alec realized what he had just done, Magnus could swear that there wouldn't be an inch of the boy that wasn't blushing._

 _"I-I, I s-s-should p-probably g-go f-find Xan-Xander." Alec stumbled before turning his attention to the floor and then turning himself to the door to charge determinately out of the door and away from Magnus._

 _Magnus kicked himself for moving too quickly and scaring the boy off. He had found everything Alec had said, while slightly different, to be much how he felt about fashion and finding just the right outfit to show off every curve and angle of a person's figure while highlighting both their best features and their personality. It was his passion, and Magnus saw that passion in Alec, burning like a star._

 _'That man is a miracle, and he doesn't even think he's a refreshing breeze." Magnus thought as he chuckled to himself._

Magnus focused on the present moment again as he began to lift Alec from the toilet. He hoisted the now half naked…, boy was not the right word for the chiseled hunk of heaven Magnus was now dead-lifting (this was a man in every sense of the word), to lean with an arm of Magnus's shoulder. They began to step to the door of the bathroom, and Magnus looked around to try to find his way in the dimly light apartment.

"Where is your bedroom?" Magnus whispered to Alec and was rewarded with a blush spreading quickly across the pale boy's handsome face, yet again.

"It's a-across the hall." Alec said, looking at his immaculate floors apparently trying to see through them to China.

"Alright then, sweet prince." Magnus hummed. "Time for me to get you in the sack." Alec blushed even more.


	5. The Cost of Last Night

Alec's eyes snapped open and he instantly regretted being in a wakened state. His head seemed to be echoing in a low howl of constant, reverberating pain.

'What is making that God-awful noise.' Alec thought as he rolled over on his side and let the world seep in on him at an agonizingly slow pace.

Alec found he was laying in his bed, surrounded by the soft white sheets Izzy had gotten him for his birthday, she had said something about a thread count but all Alec knew was they felt like butter and he loved curling-up into those warm sheets with a good book. He wanted nothing more than to just roll back into those sheets and hid from the day, but he had to silence that incessant growling that was sending shock waves through his skull. His night table was right beside his bed, but there was nothing on it save a couple of loose bills and some change. Nothing, he noted, that could have made the traumatizing noise that had woken him from his warm bed.

Alec jumped and grasped his head as the noise howled again, disturbing the peaceful air and calm sense of his empty bed room. He realized it was his phone vibrating on the hardwood floors, bouncing and scratching urgently for his attention. Digging through the pile of clothes that impeded him from silencing the infernal contraption, Alec felt his hand brush the cold metal of the phone and brought it triumphantly to his eyes, only to groan and recoil as he tried to adjust to the phones brightness in an attempt to discover why it was so intent on his continued pain.

'Xander.' Alec growled the thought. Xander had been sending a steady stream of texts that were getting more insistent by the minute.

 **Xander 8:30AM**

 **Hey! How'd it go last night?**

 **Xander 12:13AM**

 **Oh come on, it couldn't have been that bad?**

 **Xander 1:53PM**

 **While I myself am a fan of the Lazy Saturday, it's almost two and I'm**

 **starting to worry.**

 **Xander 3:43PM**

 **No, really, like growing concern by the minute. It's almost 4 and still no word**

 **Xander 4:35PM**

 **Ok so maybe you don't want to talk to me, but at least let me know you're alive**

 **Xander 5:15PM**

 **Seriously!**

 **Xander 5:26PM**

 **Ok if I don't hear from you soon I'm calling the cops!**

 **Xander 5:29PM**

 **Serious, I'm thinking ur dead, in a ditch, so last chance**

'God, but he can be needy, can't he?" Alec thought, then he reprimanded himself when he saw it was almost 5:30 and he hadn't even let Xander know he'd made it home at 11:30 the previous night, and Xander always wanted to know he'd made it home safe, especially since he hadn't been feeling well.

 **Alec**

 **Yeah, I'm ok, sorry, just overslept… and my head is killing me**

The reply came back almost instantly, Xander must have been worried and waiting by his phone.

 **Xander**

 **Thank gods! I thought you were dead, or just not ever speaking to me ever again, both equally bad things**

Alec couldn't help but chuckle at how dramatic Xander could be.

 **Alec**

 **I'm fine, I'm sorry for worrying you**

 **Xander**

 **Well, whatever… enough mush, how did it go?**

 **Alec**

 **How did what go?**

 **Xander**

 **Last night? *wink wink***

 **Alec**

 **Last night?**

Alec was having a hard time remembering what happened after he had gotten to Xander's house and hugged him.

 **Xander**

 **Yeah, you know, boy meets boy, boy gets sick, boy takes sick boy home…**

The memories crashed into Alec almost as painfully as first opening his eyes. Getting sick at the party, Magnus taking him home, why Alec had been mad at Xander when he woke up. All of it came flooding back in an instant.

 **Alec**

 **It was fine**

 **Xander**

 **Fine? I send you home with a gorgeous guy and all you can tell me about what happened was 'It was fine?' I don't think so, Bub**

 **Alec**

 **Fine, what do you want to know?**

 **Xander**

 **Well… idk, for starters…. DID YOU GET LUCKY!?**

 **Alec**

 **I was sick, how lucky did you think I was gonna get?**

 **Xander**

 **…** **.Alec?**

 **Alec**

 **Yeah, who'd you think you were talking to?**

 **Xander**

 **Well, I'm texting Magnus's phone… so…**

'No!' Alec thought as a wave of terror shot through him. As if on cue, and warm honey-colored arm wrapped around Alec's waist and pulled the skin of Alec's bare back into smooth, warm skin that was just as bare. Alec paled, and felt like the world began to spin.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." Alec thought as he tried to roll over without waking his sleeping companion. 'There is no way that I would have slept with Magnus and not remembered it.' Alec cringed to find Magnus was laying peacefully beside him, without a stitch of clothing anywhere on his person. Alec let his head fall to the pillow as he let out a silent, soul searing scream of 'Damn the fates!'

Just then Magnus started to stir making Alec reflexively play possum, hoping not to disturb the sleeping predator further. Only to be greeted by those emerald-gold pools lazily staring into his soul with a devious grin underneath.

"Well good morning, blue eyes." Magnus cooed.

"M-m-m-m-magnus." Alec squeaked, pulling the covers up to his face, covering his mouth partially.

"Not glad to see me." Magnus pouted with a seductive look in his gleaming cat like gaze.

"Y-your, your i-in m-m-my b-b-bed!" Alec was as red as a tomato from head to foot, and he swore he would die of embarrassment at any moment.

"And a wonderful way to wake up, don't you think?" Magnus sighed as he began to stretch across the bed, much like a cat when it first wakes up.

"B-b-b-but, h-how did you g-get here?" Alec was shaking like a leaf, he just couldn't contain his anxiety at the idea of having slept with Magnus, the gorgeous glittering god-of-a-man, without remembering what he had done. What if he messed something up, what if he was no good, what if he got sick during? Alec was losing his mind as the possibilities of what could have gone wrong swirled around his head.

"The normal way, one would think." Magnus said very thoughtful. Alec squeaked as he assumed the normal way would be having slept together.

"Alec, why do you look so upset?" Magnus asked with worry clear across his entire person, and the hurt only showing slightly in his eyes.

"I d-d-d-on't, I m-mean, did w-we?" Alec couldn't seem to finish a thought.

"You mean you don't remember?" Magnus said as each word seemed to age him by the decade. Alec watched the soft amber of Magnus's skin leak from his face leaving a ghostly pale pallor.

"Oh!" Magnus said, as he jumped out of the bed like it had caught fire. "Of course you don't, you _were_ really sick." Magnus said as his hands flailed through the air wildly only to smack against his bare thighs. Magnus seemed to realize his state of undress at the noise, and then seemed to groan inwardly. "And of course… I'm sleeping naked …in your bed, and you have no idea how I got there." Magnus laughed woodenly. He was still facing away from Alec, giving Alec a very nice view of his perfectly rounded rear end, which Alec promptly averted his eyes from as soon as he realized he was drooling. Only to look back once, very quickly.

"I'm sorry, Alec," Magnus started, and he tried to put on his pants only to find that they were a small bit too short. Magnus stared down at the pants in confusion, looking as though they had personally offended him.

"Those are mine." Alec stated, still somewhat hiding behind the covers, but now grinning in secret. He wouldn't have thought Magnus could ever look so flustered.

"Of course they are." Magnus huffed quickly getting out of the too-small pants and going in search of his own.

"Over here." Alec said. "With your ….phone." Alec audibly gulped as he remembered his texts with Xander. Wondering what he had said that could possibly embarrass him in front of Magnus that he may have foolishly left on Magnus's phone. Alec grabbed the phone up and quickly began scrolling back through his conversation to see what damage could have been done.

"Alexander?" Magnus asked as one eyebrow rose up to his hairline. "I didn't take you for the jealous type, Magnus asked, temporarily abandoning his expedition for pants.

"No! Xander! I thought it was mine!" Alec tried to explain while reading and simultaneously hyperventilating.

"And now Xander knows that I spent the night here as well?" Magnus asked, then shook his head and sighed. "Of course he does, because that's par for the course this glorious morning." Magnus huffed, as he spun around to slump down on the bed. Alec couldn't help evening how Magnus still looked so graceful while being utterly defeated.

"Damn the fates?" Alec supplied helpfully, though once again muffled by covers.

"What was that?" Magnus asked.

Alec spit the covers away from his mouth. "Damn the fates. It's a great way to express your complete displeasure in a moment when everything seems to be going wrong." Alec explained.

"Yes, then. Damn the fates." Magnus grumbled. Alec couldn't help but feel a bit badly about how he had reacted to Magnus being in bed when he woke up. It had been very nice to wake up next to Magnus, but just not the not knowing how they got there still had Alec worried.

"Magnus?" Alec asked.

"Hmm?" Magnus responded though still looking at his feet despondently.

"What happened last night?" Alec asked, blushing.

Magnus's head shot up from the spot he had been focusing on near his feet, to search Alec's eyes. "What do you remember?" Magnus asked.

"Well… n-not a lot." Alec said letting his eyes search the ceiling in thought. "I remember getting to Xander's, meeting you, and then…" Alec started to recount his memories as Magnus listened with wrapt attention.


	6. From a Different Perspective

_Izzy was not letting up as she continued to draw Alec away from Xander and towards the kitchen._

 _"_ _Listen, Alec." Izzy started as she gracefully dodged the crowd of drunken teenagers. Alec had no idea how the kids had heard about his friend's party, but he noticed that for every bit of haphazardly swaying that was in the stance of the kids now milling past him, his sister had the elegant grace of royalty, slowing leaning and artful lying dodging as she moved through the crowd, dragging Alec behind her as he fumbled over his own feet. "You do nothing but work and mope, and tonight is about having fun." Izzy pulled Alec up in front of herself as she stopped at the archway to the dim kitchen._

 _Multi-colored party lights were darting and dancing across Izzy's serious expression as she looked at Alec. He could see the serious demeanor of his sister was from a deep concern, a concern Alec could never understand. He was perfectly happy with his social life, no matter how vocally his siblings argued their case. Why should Alec go out to spend time with people like the drunken teenagers that had nearly crashed into him in the hallway? There was no joy in losing complete control from intoxication while surrounded by people he wouldn't trust to hold the door for him, much less ensure he would be alive after a night of stumbling around drunk out of his mind._

 _"_ _Just get in that kitchen, get yourself a drink, and start having a good time." Izzy said as a small grin stole a moment from her worry. "Seriously Alec, you need to freaking relax." And with that Izzy pushed away any of the brotherly devotion Alec had just been feeling towards his darling sister, as she also physically pushed him backwards into the dimly lit, empty kitchen._

 _"_ _No, you need to relax." Alec mumbled while letting his head drop to his feet, immediately feeling ashamed of the small moment of petulance._

 _He knew his sister only cared about him, and he could only love her for her concern, but he didn't want anything to do with his age group's idea of a good time. Who would want to be out of control, fumbling around, and not even entirely aware of your own bodily functions. Alec had seen Jace and Izzy both drunk beyond comprehension. He had also worried on multiple occasions that they may have finally over indulged and Alec would have to take them to the ER for alcohol poisoning. He didn't find any part of being drunk appealing in the least._

 _"_ _What was that, darling?" Came a purr of a caramel coated voice behind Alec, making him jump while making some noise he didn't even think a person could make. Alec had thought there was no one in the kitchen, the lights were off and he hadn't heard anyone, and drunk people were always loud. Though, Alec's panic was quickly replaced by embarrassment as he quickly saw who had spoken and took in the sight before him._

 _He was a stunning example of a man, Magnus Bane was what Xander had introduced him as. He was a slight bit taller than Alec and every inch of him lean, toned, and completely rock-solid gorgeous. Alec had already been enraptured by the man's smooth, honey-colored skin, and now he was alone in a dark room with the man who he was now positive could only be described as a walking wet-dream._

 _"_ _M-m-m-magnus. U-uh-hi, I mean, er h-h-hey." Alec sputtered as he quickly remembered the noise he had just made. Why did Magnus have to be the one he made_ that _noise in front of._

 _"_ _Hi." Magnus purred with a seductive smile . "What was that you were just saying, darling?" Magnus's smile had Alec feeling a bit weak at the knees, and he stomach was flipping up a typhoon of emotions. Alec had never met a man more attractive than this grining-glittered-god that was currently trying to have a conversation with him. It wasn't just Magnus's physicality that enticed Alec, though there was more than enough to admire of Magnus's physicality, but it was Magnus. The way that Alec could see everything about the man in the way he carried himself. The large personality that Magnus let shine to fill up the room with light, the graceful beauty in the way he moved that Alec knew could only come from having fallen your fair share of times, even the small look of loneliness in the man's smile._

 _He was breathtaking to Alec, in every way. He was striking in his mere existence. He was everything Alec had never known he wanted, until it was starring at his waiting. He was waiting for Alec to answer._

 _"_ _J-j-just s-saying?" Alec felt like an idiot, but at the moment he had been to distracted by his observation of everything Magnus Bane to remember how to form a sentence. He was no better than a parrot._

 _"_ _When you almost fell." Magnus grinned, gesturing towards the door. He looked as though he didn't mind Alec's bumbling. Alec hoped he didn't, he liked Magnus and wanted to spend a bit more time with him while he could._

 _Alec realized that in order to spend time with Magnus he would likely need to carry on a conversation with the man, and quickly schooled his mind on the conversation at hand willing himself to reply._

 _"_ _O-oh, nothing, I was j-just." Alec stopped himself before his sentence ran away with him. He didn't want to tell Magnus he was the kind of guy that had absolutely no social life; who had siblings that were trying to thrust fun upon him. Though, he also didn't want to lie to Magnus, and somehow he thought he wouldn't need to anyway._

 _"_ _Izzy told me to come in here and get a drink because 'I needed to relax'." Alec sighed again, feeling entirely out of place and helpless. It was a much larger party than Alec had expected it to be, he was a complete mess when it came to talking to people, and around Magnus Alec had never felt like more of a horny, hormone-drunk teenager._

 _"_ _Well then you're in luck, I happen to be excellent at making drinks!" Alec's head raised at the warmth in Magnus's voice and found he was beaming. "What are you in the mood for?"_

 _Alec didn't know anything about what drinks were what, or what he would like. He'd had a beer here and there, but never really sat down to drink with any purpose of preference._

 _"_ _U-um, I don't know." Alec blushed. "You c-can …surprise me?"_

 _"_ _Oh darling, I'm sure I would." Magnus grinned before turning to the bar. Alec had seen something in Magnus's eyes that sent a shiver down his spine. Alec had never seen that look in someone's eyes before, at least not while directed at him. He couldn't help but grin as he stood there watching Magnus work. His muscles moving fluidly as he swayed with the music while quickly swirling around carious liquids in a glass with practiced skill._

 _Magnus placed his hands on the bar as he took a long look at Alec's drink then shrugged. He turned half way to hand Alec his creation, before stopping quickly as though he had forgotten something and turned back to grab one of the decorative drink stirrers and plopped it in the glass with a flourish and a smile. "Here you are, my dear."_

 _Alec couldn't help his smile in response or the blush that colored his cheeks at hearing Magnus refer to him so fondly. He knew Magnus probably didn't mean anything by it, but it still sounded nice hearing Magnus say it to him. "T-t-thank you, Magnus," Alec said, though he had put as much of his own fondness as he could into the name._

 _"_ _So, you know Xander?" Magnus asked leaning his hip and elbow onto the Bar partially blocking some of the party lights coming from the living room and directly to Alec's eyes. It made it easier to look at Magnus, and Alec was thankful for that and that it had brought Magnus a bit closer to him._

 _"_ _Y-yeah, for a while n-now." Alec was a nervous wreck, his whole body a bundle of emotions roiling through him and rolling back into themselves. People always said alcohol was liquid courage, and Magnus had made Alec's drink, se he took a large gulp hoping the effects would calm his voice enough to carry on with the conversation. Alec was uimidiatly hit by the full, fruity flavor that tasted like candy with a warm afterglow. "T-this is good, t-thanks again."_

 _"_ _I knew you were a green apple guy." Magnus let out a chuckle that seemed to roll over Alec's skin, making him feel warm and tingly. Then Magnus winked at him, and all Alec could think of doing was giggling like a school girl, but his bit back the laugh and blushed desperately._

 _"_ _U-uh so you w-work with Xander?" Alec asked, suddenly wanting nothing more than to hear Magnus's voice._

 _"_ _Yes. I came to his rescue once, at work, and now I'm hoping to rescue his party as well." Magnus beamed as he leaned back against the bar and wiggled his hips while biting his bottom lip. Alec couldn't help but think Magnus looked like a cat, getting ready to pounce, and he could only hope Magnus was getting ready to pounce him._

 _"_ _R-rescue the party from what?" Alec asked quickly recovering from his fevered day dreams, but still feeling rather lost._

 _"_ _From it's utter lack of my presence of course." Magnus said and started to look very pleased with himself for Alec following the lead to his bad joke. Alec felt a laugh rip through him unbidden in both volume and intensity. Instantly, Alec felt the reaction had been too much, and down what was left of his warm sweet hug of a drink. Magnus chuckled at Alec's response and Alec felt his face warm a bit._

 _"_ _So would you like another drink?" Magnus as as the his chuckle played through his words._

 _"_ _P-please, it was r-realy good." Alec said holding out his glass, he wasn't sure where to look, so he thought looking down was he safest option._

 _Waiting for Magnus to take the glass, Alec suddenly felt a warmth wrap around his fingers, and his eyes jumped towards his hand. His eyes traced over the long fingers that laid on top of his own, continuing up to look at the smooth honey skin on the wrist as his heart started to beat faster by the second. Alec felt his breath coming in short raspy pants as his gaze continued up Magnus's arm, the muscles straining the blue glistening fabric. By the time Alec had focused his stare on Magnus's face, he felt as though he was in the last mile of a marathon, his heart pounding against his ribs, his breath coming in quick hot gasps, and his face felt as though it were on fire. Magnus was touching him, and Alec felt as though there was an electric pulse coming through him steadily from the connection. It was the thrumming beat of Magnus's pulse beating against Alec's bare skin. Alec's mouth was dry, and he was sure the room was starting to spin._

 _Magnus then quickly took the glass from Alec's hand and leaving Alec bereft at the loss of the warm connection. Alec scolded himself for being so emotional, and quickly decided that Magnus was not, nor could he be flirting. Or if he were, that must just be how Magnus was with everyone, and Alec needed to find some self control. If he didn't he may just jump the gorgeous glittering god, with those soft, wonderfully-warm hands, and the biceps of …._

 _"_ _So…" Magnus almost hummed breaking the silence and pulling Alec away from a very dangerous train of thought. "You know that I work as a costume designer at BA games, don't you think it's fair for me to know what you do?"_

 _"_ _Oh, um, well…" Alec trailed off for a bit. "I'm a p-photographer."_

 _"_ _Really?" Magnus said grinning, and Alec felt himself blush as he waited on Magnus's response._

 _"_ _Do you like it?" Magnus seemed interested, so Alec decided to try and focus on the conversation._

 _"_ _Y-yeah. I love being able to get just the_ right _shot. You know that_ one _moment in time that the light hits the surface of something so perfectly as to reveal it's inner nature to the world. Being able to capture that moment, to see that kind of beauty, being able to seek it out daily, and get paid for it. It's great." Alec beamed. There were so many interesting facets to photography and the art of getting the right angle with just the right lighting that Alec could talk about his work all day._

 _Alec noticed there seemed to be a delay in a response from Magnus, and refocused on his conversational companion only to see a look of shock. Magnus was staring at him with his mouth hanging open like Alec had just grown a second, and then a third head. Alec was almost tempted to feel around on his head to see if maybe he had._

 _Starting to blush more than he thought possible, Alec quickly decided he needed to say something to fix this. Though, he couldn't decide what to say, or what he had already said that had caused the problem._

 _"_ _W-what d-did I say?" Alec asked nervously._

 _"_ _Everything." Magnus whispered as his eyes fell to Alec's lips and he took a step closer._

 _Alec had the feeling he shouldn't be standing so close to the man he had just moments ago thought of ravaging without preamble, but he could smell the rich scent of vanilla and something earthy, and warm and he didn't want to step away from that._

 _"_ _-W-w-what?" Alec almost squeaked as he felt his eyes drop to Magnus's lips, unable to resist imagining what they would taste like. Alec thought they would taste like cinnamon, and vanilla, with maybe the slightest hint of fruits, or in other words, delicious._

 _"_ _Alexander that was beautiful, the way that you feel about photography really shows when you talk about it, and if you have half the passion in your work that you did talking about it just now, then I have no doubt that it is… absolutely_ breathtaking _." Magnus was almost talking solely to Alec's lips at this point, as he moved in a bit more closely. It was as though Magnus were trying to show the truth of his words by pressing them into Alec._

 _"_ _N-no… i-it's nothing… not really… that special." Alec's throat felt dry and scratchy, and his drink was doing nothing to help, but taking sips of the warm fruit flavored mixture was giving him something to do with his mouth that was more socially acceptable than trying to eat a near perfect strangers face._

 _"_ _I'm sure that's not true." Magnus was now so close that Alec could feel breath against his cheek, and then he felt a warmth envelop his hand. Quickly glancing at what was trying to take his hand, he found Magnus's and was instantly stuck dumb as his heart thrummed in his throat. "I'm sure that, just like you, it's… gorgeous." Magnus stepped closer and Alec felt the room begin to spin._

 _'_ _He didn't just call me gorgeous. I've got to be hallucinating. But he's so close, and he smells so good, and all it would take is just a small movement to have my lips touch his.' Alec was quickly losing control of his mental train of thought and not entirely sure he wanted to change that._

 _Alec felt like all of the air had been sucked out of the room and replaced with a warm, vibrating cotton that was magnetically pulling the two men closer together. He started to feel like keeping himself at a distance from Magnus was like fighting an unstoppable current, and he wasn't sure he had the strength to keep fighting._

 _Magnus raised his hand to Alec's cheek and as their skin connected Alec decided to stop fighting the current. He didn't want to keep trying to restrain himself, and he let himself instinctively cuddle into the warmth. Magnus's hand against his face felt like coming home, and all Alec wanted to do was enjoy the beauty of that feeling._

 _As Magnus's face broke into a grin that Alec thought had to be painful, he realized what he had done, with a near stranger, in his best friends kitchen, at a party. He was no better than any drunken teenager, being overwhelmed by hormones and alcohol. It was then that reality rubber-banded back in on him, and Alec wanted to crawl under a rock and never speak to another living person again lest he die of embarrassment._

 _"_ _I-I, I s-s-should p-probably g-go f-find Xan-Xander." Alec managed to get out, before trying to quickly get himself somewhere less conspicuous than under Magnus's heated gaze. He tried to get his body to start moving again only to move closer to Magnus no matter which way he tried to go, causing him to stumble over his own feet as he scrambled to turn his body towards and exit and flee._

 _After getting through the door to the hall and quickly dodging through the party goers, Alec began to search for a safe place to hide himself, finding only an empty wall on the far side of the room. At that moment, Alec wanted nothing more than to get in his car and drive to another state to start a new life far from his ineptitude in social settings and his inability to think around Magnus Bane, but he was here to see Xander, and he couldn't just take off._

 _Plastering himself against the wall, Alec let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding in and began to kick himself for everything that he hadn't said. He wanted to tell Magnus that he was more gorgeous than Alec had ever hoped to be. He wanted to profess his love for the man and promise him the moon and the stars for nothing more in exchange than his company. Though, Alec knew, none of that could be true. They had only just met, and while Magnus was gorgeous, you could only get away with telling a stranger they were gorgeous if you were Magnus._

 _Sighing to himself, and gripping his now spinning head, Alec slouched against the wall and waited for his friend to find him._

"After that, I talked to Xander a little bit, then I started feeling sick, and about the time I leaned over Xander's toilet, everything starts to get hazy. I mean, I remember that you agreed to take me home, and I think we had a conversation at some point, but it all gets harder to piece together." Alec said, letting his hands fall limply against his sheets after his animated retelling of what he recalled from the night before.

Magnus was still sitting, naked, on the edge of the bed, though he had moved up from the foot of the bed to a place right beside Alec's knees while Alec had been telling him everything. Well, mostly everything. Alec had left out many of the toughest he had about Magnus during their conversation, or how much of a crazy person he had been for thinking that Magnus was hitting on him. Though, as Magnus was still naked in his bed, maybe it hadn't been that crazy of a thought after all?

"Alec?" Magnus asked thoughtfully.

"Hmm?"

"When's the last time you had any alcohol?" Magnus asked the floor.

"I don't know, I think I had a couple of beers with Xander when we turned eighteen, but I didn't really like it. I think that may have been the last time." Alec responded, confused as to the change in subject.

"Oh jeez." Magnus moaned as he hid his face in his hands.

"What?"

"I made those drinks for you last night, everyone of them." Magnus said through his hands. "I made drinks the way I would make them for my friends, who are all mostly alcoholics." Magnus finished as though everything had been explained.

"O-k." Alec was still at a loss.

"Don't you get it?" Magnus questioned as he dropped his hands to meet Alec's gaze. "Those drinks for an alcoholic will get the job done, get you drunk. For someone who just normally drinks socially, you probably would have had a nasty hangover and a wild night, but nothing too bad. Though for someone who doesn't drink… jeez I could have given you alcohol poisoning, it's no wonder you don't remember anything." Magnus finished as his attention fell back to his feet. He looked utterly defeated, and Alec was just starting to catch his meaning.

"Oh." Alec said somewhat flatly. "So it wasn't Izzy's spaghetti?"

"Well, from what you've told me I'm sure that didn't help." Magnus heaved as though trying to remember to breath again. "Though, no it was probably large amounts of alcohol consumed at a very quick pace." Magnus sounded almost clinical, as though quoting a lecture he'd previously received from more than a few nurses.

"It didn't taste that… strong."

"A drink done well never does." Magnus answered matter-of-factly.

"So…" Alec was still trying to find the courage to ask what he really wanted to know. "Did we…?" Unable to force out the words he lamely motioned towards the bed.

"No!" Magnus nearly jumped off the bed, only to once again notice his state of undress, and resume the search for his missing pants.

"Oh." Alec couldn't decide if his disappointment was from the fact that they hadn't done anything he couldn't remember or just that he couldn't remember.

"Alec," Magnus started as he finished zipping his pants. "Honestly, I can't say that I'm the old-fashioned type who wouldn't sleep with someone on the first date, but I do think it's bad form to try to sleep with someone who can't even keep their eyes open." Magnus sat on the bed as he finished placing his hand tentatively over Alec's and Alec felt his face heat at the contact.

"You were naked." Alec stated as though it were his entire case, and in many ways it was.

"I sleep naked, I asked you if you minded, and you told me no, but knowing what I know now; that was probably the alcohol more than you and you not remembering does make this a bit odd." Magnus sighed.

"I think waking up to a naked hunk that I don't remember getting into my bed is more than a bit odd." Alec chuckled. "Though, it's not a bad odd." He said letting his gaze fall to the floor as his blush crept up again.

"Oh really?" Magnus grinned, rubbing his thumb over the back of Alec's hand. "Well, aside from the fact that we've had a rather rocky morning, and a rough night before that, I'm starving. So, would you be opposed to having some breakfast with this hunk?" Magnus had a twinkle in his eyes as he gazed at Alec.

"Only if you let me cook it for you." Alec smiled. "It's the least I can do after you took care of me last night."

"Sounds like perfection." Magnus beamed.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hey guys sorry it's been so long. I'm not dead! We just moved and we only had about a day to do it. Which of course meant it took me until about now to recover. I promise I will be writing more as well, the next chapter should be out next week.**

"Go ahead and have a seat at the bar and I'll start on breakfast." Alec said as he padded around the bar and into the kitchen to open the refrigerator and retrieve all the needed ingredients. Magnus noted Alec seemed much more comfortable with his home court advantage and was walking around the apartment still without a shirt, which Magnus could only hope would become a usual sight for his mornings, evenings, or nights.

"Oh, would you like some 'Sir Bananas'?" Alec asked popping his head up to look at Magnus.

"Some what?" Magnus asked slightly making a face as he took a seat.

"It's Bananas and milk or bananas, milk, and cocoa, and they are both amazing! I have both so whichever you prefer." Alec said, clearly a fan.

"It's Bananas and milk, so like a milkshake?" Magnus asked.

"Yup. but it's chocked full of nutrients and not that high in sugar, so it's ok for breakfast." Alec stated responsibly.

"And it's called 'Sir Bananas'?" Magnus inquired dubiously.

"Yes, and I just so happen to be a Banana Ambassador." Alec said defiantly while placing a glass full of what appeared to be chocolate milk in front of Magnus. "You look like a chocolate kind of guy." Alec said grinning.

"Well, I've always like trying new things." Magnus sighed before picking the glass up to his lips and taking a large draft of the cold beverage. "Oh my God!" Magnus moaned. "It's just like a milkshake, and it's delicious." Magnus purred to Alec, still in shock now eyeing the carton.

"Told ya." Alec said smugly before turning back to the stove to flip the eggs already sizzling in the pan.

 **PSA: Sir Bananas is a real thing, and it is delicious, if you haven't tried it, you need this in your life, and you need to share it with everyone you care about! That is all.**

"So…" Magnus began, unsure how to start a conversation after the morning they had and the many bumps they'd encountered since meeting. They hadn't known each other for more than a few hours, but the road so far had been a bit bumpier than what Magnus was used to.

Alec seemed to be taking the whole situation fairly well, and it seemed as though he did believe Magnus when he had told him about what had happened, but Magnus still felt like some sort of pervert for insinuating his naked self in the bed of a near stranger without said stranger's recollection. Not that Magnus had done anything, he had told Alec the full truth of what had happened, and he had done his level best to remain an utter gentleman during the night. He would have been lying if he were to say that he had done very well at keeping his eyes where a gentlemen should, but who could blame him?

"So, it's weird now, right?" Alec sighed as he continued to focus on sliding food around the frying pan.

"Is it?" Magnus asked, hoping he wouldn't have lost a chance to get to know Alec before really even starting.

"Well, I wake up and practically accuse you of taking advantage of me when you were nothing but caring to me, and now you seem like your scared to speak. So… yeah, I think it may be a bit weird."

"Alexander, what you thought this morning was entirely understandable. While this whole situation has been a bit… unexpected, I'm still enjoying spending time with you. Unless, you're feeling too weird about the whole waking up to me naked beside you thing." Magnus was a bit nervous, but he felt he needed to know how Alec felt before continuing.

"No, it was, well, I mean…" Alec hefted a sigh and slid the omelet he'd just finished out of the pan and onto a plate before turning around to set it in front of Magnus. "It was… unexpected, that's a good word for it. Though, that doesn't mean it was all that bad, I just…"

"You're not sure of where to go from here?" Magnus supplied.

"Well, no. I think I know where to go, I'm just not sure how to get there?"

"Was that a question?" Magnus was starting to feel a bit lost.

"No, I was just thinking more than I was speaking, and things never seem to sound as good coming out of my mouth as they do in my head." Alec sighed and looked at the floor. Magnus couldn't help but chuckle a bit, knowing the feeling Alec was describing all to well.

"Well, maybe if you tell me where you'd like to go, I can help you get there." Magnus offered as he cut into the omelet and took a large first bite. He couldn't help but moan as the flavors exploded in his mouth, cheeses and peppers wrapped around mushrooms and onions, all folded perfectly throughout the eggs that seemed to have a spice Magnus couldn't place. Alec was a great cook, and Magnus could only wonder where the boy had learned to cook like that. "That is if I don't run off with this omelette first." Magnus moaned as he quickly inhaled another mouthful.

"Would you l-like to go on a d-date with me?" Alec fumbled as he worried the dish towel he'd grabbed off the counter. Magnus started at the quick change of subject, but quickly relaxed and started to grin like a mad man.

"I would love that, sweetness." Magnus beamed. "When would you like to go?"

"Well, it's already 6 o'clock now, so if you wanted to we could get cleaned up and ready to go out by 8 tonight. I have to work almost every day for the next two weeks so I don't think I'll really get another chance until after that." Alec was shuffling as he spoke, and Magnus thought the man had never looked more unsure of himself in the whole 22 hour time frame he had known him. "I mean if you don't want to, I understand, we've been asleep all day, and I'm sure you have things to do…" Alec was cut off mid-ramble by the front door of his apartment crashing open and Izzy pouring in like the devil was on her heels.

"Alec! You have to come quick! Something's up with Xander and I can't get him to stop freaking out!" Izzy shrieked as she ran to her brother's side, not even noticing his state of semi-dress or Magnus siting at the bar also without his shirt.

"Izzy? Wait, slow down. What's happening?" Izzy blinked and blanched as she noticed Magnus, and gave him a quick unsure grin before turning back to Alec.

"I d-don't know Alec. It's … I don't know what is going on, but I think he needs to see you, he's a mess." Izzy was stuttering, and Magnus could tell from just the little he knew of Isabel Lightwood, that if she were stuttering, she must be well and truly flustered. Alec seemed to come the same conclusion judging by the serious mask that had settled on his face before he nodded.

"Ok Iz, let me get dressed and we will head over together."

"I'll come with you." Magnus said.

"No, you don't need to do that." Alec seemed to say out of reflexive politeness.

"He's my protege, and my friend, if he's in need of anything I'm going as well. Plus, someone just asked me on a date and I still haven't gotten to respond yet." Magnus finished with a cocky grin before heading off to the bedroom to dress. He laughed as he watched Alec blush three shades of red and Izzy grinned from ear to ear and punched Alec in the arm.

—

"You dog!" Izzy cried as she punched Alec's arm again.

"Ow! Izzy stop it! I am not a dog!"

"Really? Magnus Bane is still in your apartment at 6'o'clock the evening after you meet him wanting to respond to your invitation for a date while you're serving breakfast in the buff!? Right! Though, I didn't think you had it in you to seal the deal before the first date. Maybe _on_ the first date, but before…"

"Izzy! I didn't seal any deal, I was past out sick, Magnus was taking care of me!"

"Oh, I'm sure he was taking care of you." Izzy said with a comical wink.

"Izzy!"

"Look, I"m not judging, but you should go get dressed quickly so we can go deal with Xander's diva attack and you can get back to not being a total dog!"

"I'm walking away now, because I'm a mature adult, and that kind of childish behavior does not deserve a response."

"Oh god, you sound like Dad!" Izzy teased.

"Walking. Away." Alec clipped.

"Ok Dad." Izzy chuckled before twirling onto a stool at the bar.

She always had to have the last word, Alec noted as he went to his room and quickly changed clothes while Magnus was in the bathroom. After throwing on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and, and a black, zippered sweatshirt, Alec raked his fingers threw his hair and grabbed his wallet, keys, and phone before turning to see Magnus emerge from the bathroom. He looked radiant, with no makeup, except for small highlights of glitter here and there. His hair was falling loosely around his shoulder, and he had on a bright yellow tank top with pale blue-jeans. Magnus looked like he'd just stepped out of the casual section of a men's catalogue and Alec had to remind himself to breath.

"What? Not enough?" Magnus asked as he looked down at his outfit.

"Somehow it's not enough, too much, and absolutely perfect, all at the same time." Alec sighed without thinking. Magnus beamed as Alec blushed and quickly moved down the hall towards his front door. "Are you ready?" He asked looking back to Magnus.

"Yeah, I think I am." Magnus grinned and followed behind Alec as they made there way towards their friend in need.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: This isn't the next chapter I promised, just a teaser

 **Xander**

 **Izzy, you're sure he doesn't know why your bringing him?**

 **Izzy**

 **I told you, they don't have a clue**

 **Xander**

 **Them? What Them?**

 **Izzy**

 **Magnus is with him, I think he was the distraction so Alec didn't even really ask questions**

 **Xander**

 **Well, that could be a good thing.**

 **Izzy**

 **What are you planning?  
Xander**

 **Would I be planning anything?**

 **Izzy**

 **Xander…**

 **Xander**

 **Ok, it's not so much a plan as a very informal idea**

 **Izzy**

 **Xander, you know Alec won't approve**

 **Xander**

 **Approve of what? There's nothing to approve of**

 **Izzy**

 **You remember what happened last time?**

 **Xander**

 **Technically the last time would be the most recent**

 **i.e., today**

 **and you're helping me**

 **So point that finger back at yourself sister :P**

 **Izzy**

 **Yes, but unlike your plans, Alec will love this plan**

 **Xander**

 **This plan is my plan**

 **Izzy**

 **But I'm the bait, so that makes me an integral part of the plan**

 **Xander**

 **How does that make you integral?**

 **Izzy**

 **Because I said it does**

 **Xander**

 **You always have to have the last word, don't you?**

 **Izzy**

 **Yes, yes I do**


End file.
